


By the book

by sarcasmismyweapon



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Alpha Derek Hale, Animal Transformation, Cryptic Alan Deaton, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Good Alpha Derek Hale, Hurt/Comfort, Sarcastic Stiles Stilinski, Sassy Isaac Lahey, Scott Being an Idiot, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:17:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 46,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23740594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasmismyweapon/pseuds/sarcasmismyweapon
Summary: Stiles never should have left Scott to his own devices while he was working on something for school thus ignoring his impatient friend, least of all when he had obtained a rare book on supernatural things.Scott hadn't thought anything of it when he picked up the strange book on Stiles' desk and began to read it out loud with a huff of laughter at some of the strange text.Derek just wanted to enjoy reading his book, not having to deal with supernatural things at the moment while the Beta's did their daily routines so it made sense that he would get a frantic call from Scott and Isaac rambling about Stiles being a wolf.
Relationships: Derek Hale & Derek Hale's Pack, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Erica Reyes & Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey & Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski & The Pack
Comments: 55
Kudos: 138





	1. Scott is an idiot

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so happy that this story is done, it's been in my backlogged stories folder for a while now and I finally finished it! For those who are new to reading my stories, I update every Sunday!

Derek growled as he reached out to fetch his phone off of the table, he’d been enjoying the afternoon. Doing nothing but reading in the sunlight that came through the giant windows of his loft, he glanced at the screen after managing to wrangle the aforementioned phone. The Alpha huffed at the sight of the name and tossed it beside him, he wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. Derek turned the page of his book, ignoring the chime of a voicemail being left. He was nearly down another page when the phone buzzed, a text message. That was equally ignored. Derek’s frown tightened with each buzz the phone made. Repeated text messages which seemed rather useless to him seeing as he hadn’t answered the first one, but if they were coming from the same person who had tried calling him it would make sense that they would be too dense to figure out that Derek was ignoring them. Still, the phone buzzed a few more times before at long last blissful silence. Sighing Derek turned the page of his book only to let out a verbal growl when his phone rang once more. Snatching it up Derek had to reign in his shift so as to not crack the screen with his claws. swiping to answer the call he barked out.

“WHAT!”

“DEREK! Oh my god! No...No... Don’t do that. Jesus Christ.”

Derek frowned, pulling his phone away a moment to make sure he had the right person to be yelling at as the frantic voice on the other side of the call made it hard to discern. He did. Placing the phone once more to his ear he growled out. “Scott, what the hell is going on?” There was more shuffling in the background a deep growl that had Derek sitting upright and then a crash. That was a wolf.

“Damn it.” Tossing his book aside Derek was up and headed for the door, his jacket already halfway on when a panting voice finally came back on the line. Though this time it wasn’t Scott.

“Derek?”

“Isaac?” Derek didn’t know how Isaac had gotten involved in something concerning another wolf, other than if Scott had somehow managed to get into shit while the other boy was nearby. Either way, the Alpha didn’t approve of his Beta being dragged into Scott’s issues.

“Oh thank god. Okay umm, yea-” CRASH.

“Isaac?”

“Um, so we have a problem.” Shuffling, thump, yelp.

“Uh-huh and that would be?” His tone was sharper even though he was additivity curious as to what the pups had gotten themselves into, despite the somewhat neutral ground they now held with each other Scott wasn’t a part of his pack. Isaac, however, was, which made whatever was going on now his problem as the Beta was involved.

“So Scott was being stupid.”

“Fuck you, Isaac! Jesus no...NO NO NO Ack.” More crashing sounds reverberated along with more deep growls.

“Isaac, what is going on?’

“Right. Scott was being an idiot and Stiles was being an idiot with him, of course, cause they’re idiots together-.”

Derek rolled his eyes that was nothing new. “Get to the point.”

“So the two idiots thought it would be a good id-AH No! Let go Damn it, Scott, I told you to keep a hold of him!”

Derek tensed, even as he bolted out of the loft to get down to his Camaro. Whatever was attacking Isaac wasn’t going to be alive much longer, even as he ran he listened to more crashing a few growls and thumps before just as he reached the car Isaac returned. “Long story short Stiles is a wolf.”

Derek stared straight ahead towards the door of his car, his hand frozen on the handle. “Did you just say Stiles is a wolf?”

“Yes.” Came the breathy exasperated tone of his Beta. “And he’s a real asshole.”

Derek shook his head, how was that possible? Unless a rogue Alpha had come through-. “Where are you?!”

“We’re at-UGh” A large thump, some yelping, growling and then a shuffling sound as the phone was no doubt picked up once more. Derek winced with each noise that filtered through the phone. This time it was Scott who answered.

“Dude we need your help like yesterday.”

“Don’t call me dude.” The Alpha growled back. “Where are you, idiots?”

“We’re at Stiles house. You better hurry he’s got Isaac cornered and well there’s a lot of damage already. The sheriff isn’t going to be happy.”

“You idiots did something to make this happen.” Derek pointed out sharply because surely this hadn’t happened in town, the two teens had to have been wandering in the woods again just like when Peter bit Scott.

“Uh...Can we like hold off the yelling until Stiles isn’t threatening to eat us?”

Derek huffed as he threw the door to his car open with a broad swing before sliding into the sleek interior. “I’m on my way.”

“Than-OW Stiles NO!”

Derek didn’t bother to keep the line on, he canceled the call and with a deep breath did his best to control the rising anger he felt. Those idiots couldn’t stay out of trouble for one day, how they were still alive was beyond him. It took a great deal of restraint to stay within the speed limit, the Camaro was more than equipped to eat up the asphalt between his loft and Stiles house. Being pulled over would only delay him more though and by then he knew something else might happen. Knowing the idiots in question Stiles might get outside and that was one chase he didn’t wish to partake in. Derek did not go his whole life keeping the secret of what he and his family were only to have Scott and Stiles reveal to all of Beacon Hills that secret because they chose not to mention that Stiles had been bitten. 

*******

"You told him...So he can like come over and fix this right?"

Isaac glared back at the other teen. "How do you think he's going to fix this? He doesn't have a magic wand, you idiot." He waved a sharp hand gesture towards their current problem, he probably should have explained things better to Derek but he'd been being chewed on at that point. 

“C’mon buddy...It’s just me.” Scott held up his hand to the growling wolf, its fangs were dripping with saliva as it barked. “Right I know you're pissed. I’m sorry this happened okay.”

“He’s more than pissed, I don’t think okay is the right word to describe anything about this situation.”

“Shut up Isaac.” Scott hissed sparing a glance to the blonde. “I know he’s not okay, I’m trying to keep him calm.”

The blonde rolled his eyes when the wolf snarled back at Scott. “I don’t think he cares what you think, being calm doesn’t seem to be in his plans for the day.” Isaac ignored the glare Scott sent him in exchange for gazing down at himself. His clothing was already ripped in a variety of areas. Stile’s teeth and claws were sharp, granted the wolf hadn’t really meant to make them bleed from what Isaac could tell. Stiles was angry, but he wasn’t biting down to sink into flesh and bone. Tilting his head back up Isaac snorted as he watched Scott attempt to ‘pet’ Stiles. The wolf wasn’t having any of it though and quickly and seemingly effortlessly threw Scott to the ground. Grabbing his friend's leg and shaking it back and forth rapidly. Scott grimaced as he endured the wolfs fury, Isaac smothered a laugh behind his hand.

“Damn it Stiles let me go!” Scott didn’t wish to hurt his friend, but Stiles was being entirely unreasonable. He gave a gentle kick only to wince when the wolf clamped its jaws tighter around the leg it had in its possession. “Okay okay let go,” Scott whined. “I won’t kick you.” Scott yelped as he was suddenly dragged by his leg. Isaac sighed as he followed along, Stiles had already done this before. Why the teen seemed entranced with doing this behavior was beyond him. Still, it was amusing to watch Stiles of all people drag Scott into a corner as if to put him into a time out. Once he had deposited his friend did Stiles turn his sights on Isaac. The blonde huffed already seeing where this was going. “If I voluntarily sit beside him will you not chew on me?”

The wolf’s hackles rose as it leveraged itself down as if to pounce. Huffing Isaac crossed the small area keeping them apart and begrudgingly sat down beside Scott who had righted himself from his prone position on the floor. They glared at each other only to wince when Stiles gave a loud bark.

“Okay okay, we’re right here buddy.” Scott offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile, the lip revealing sharpened canines proved it wasn’t received well. Isaac snorted at the other Beta’s attempts to soothe Stiles, it was clear as day that he was pissed. Not that Isaac particularly blamed the other teen, he was sure that getting turned into an actual wolf hadn’t been on the teen's plans for the day. Isaac still hadn’t gotten the full story as the second he’d arrived he’d become one of Stiles's new chew toys.

“Derek said he was coming right?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank god.”

Isaac rolled his eyes. “This is your fault.”

Scott glared back at him. “No it-” Scott winced when the wolf let out a loud bark, a rumbling growl continuing after the sharp noise.

Isaac smirked when Stiles called Scott on his bullshit. “Stiles says it is.”

Scott sent a scathing look back at the blonde, his attention slowly feeding back to Stiles who was hunkered down and ready to attack. “Stiles listen, buddy, I’m sorry okay, but we’re going to get you back to normal. I promise.”

“Unless it’s permanent.”

“Isaac!”

The blonde smirked, far too amused by the threat of Stiles attacking Scott to actually feel sorry for the other wolf. “Cause it could be permanent.”

Stiles snapped his jaws, an audible click of teeth had Scott swallowing. “Come on man you know I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“What did you mean to have happen?” Isaac butted in.

“We were just messing arou-” Stiles barked, snarling as he took a step forward.

Isaac chuckled as Stiles once more refused to let Scott shy away from what had happened. “Keep trying, maybe you’ll guess it right before he decides to bite something off.”

Scott bared his own fangs at Isaac, the blonde rolled his eyes not falling for the challenge. “Just tell me what happened. If he eats you someone should know what happened so he has a chance at being normal...Er, as normal as Stiles is any day.” Isaac winced when Stiles turned his bared fangs onto him, snarling. “Sorry,” Isaac muttered.

“That’s not funny,” Scott muttered sourly.

“What happened?” Isaac groused back.

“We were just fooling ar-” They winced as Stiles barked. “Okay okay.” Scott huffed. “I was fooling around with a book in Stiles's room.” The brown-haired boy looked chastized enough even when you didn’t count in the growl that Stiles had kept going as soon as his friend started relaying what happened to Isaac. “And I-May have started to rea-” Stiles barked. “OKAY. I read some shit and this is what happened.” Scott waved a hand towards Stiles.

“Wait you read it? Then why is he a wolf?” Isaac gave Stiles a perplexed look. “Did you read it too?” The wolf snorted shaking its head at the same time. “Right so Scott’s an idiot.” The wolf snarled back at Scott. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Isaac seemed quite proud of himself.

“God I hate you.”

“You called me here.” Isaac pointed out sharply. “I was doing just fine on my own, doing homework and being a normal teenager and you called me to come over here because Stiles had done something stupid. Those were your words.” Stiles took another step towards his friend, the snarl on his muzzle letting saliva drip from his fangs onto the floor.

“Jesus Stiles I’m sorry man, stop it already we’re best friends man.”

Isaac was about to comment on the fact that Stiles didn’t owe him anything and that technically Scott should be groveling right about now. He was prevented from doing so when they heard the sound of the Camaro.

Scott huffed. “Finally.”

Isaac sent a passing glare towards the other Beta, it was his fault that they needed Derek at all. The blonde was just hopeful that Derek would know what to do because turning into an actual wolf seemed a bit outside of normal, even for them.

Stiles's head craned around to the front door, his ears perked up. Alert as the car door opened, shut and then the sound of footsteps proceeded up the pathway leading to the front door.

“Should we maybe warn him?” Scott was whispering.

Isaac rolled his eyes at Scott’s attempts to hide their conversation from the wolf not five feet from them. He watched Stiles turn to face the door, ready to rush whoever came through it. Namely Derek. “God, you're pathetic.” Isaac shot towards the chastized Scott. “Derek, Stiles is in a pissy mood.” The wolf’s head came round to snarl at Isaac. “Well, you are.” The blonde boy pointed out without any remorse. 

The front door came open and Stiles ran. Derek grunted as he was slammed bodily into by the wolf, sending the Alpha back to his knees in order to contain the energy that was the thrust into him by the sheer weight and speed of the animal all while holding Stiles back from leaving the house. Throwing the wolf aside as he climbed back up from his knees Stiles was still shaking off the werewolf's throw and didn’t manage to rise in time to stop Derek from shutting the door with his foot. 

The Alpha glared at the wolf that snarled back at him. His eyes widened when he realized that he hadn't just thrown an angry Beta off of him, but an actual wolf. “What did you two idiots do?!” Stiles snapped his jaws, saliva flinging as he licked his chops. Seeing that there was little be had on that end, Derek glanced towards the two Beta’s only to find them huddled in a corner. He raised a brow at their odd behavior.

“He kinda made us stay here?” 

Derek rolled his eyes at Scott as he turned his attention once more to Stiles upon sensing the other body moving. Stiles stopped once Derek had him in his sights, almost as if the wolf had hoped to get the drop on him but had now been thwarted by the Alpha. Regardless of whatever intentions Stiles might have had, Derek couldn't help but let his eyes trace over the teen's new form. The teen made a beautiful wolf, though Derek would never state as much out loud. He couldn’t help but think back to his mother and sister’s own wolf forms at the sight of Stiles. His grey coat almost looked silver with a dusting of white across his chest, his muzzle was where the darkest of greys coalesced around startling blue eyes. If he didn’t know any better Derek might have thought that Stiles was a werewolf with the gift of a full shift. He knew better though. Giving an annoyed sigh the Alpha dared to ask. “What happened?”

“It was an accident.” “He’s a moron.” Snarl.

Derek closed his eyes a moment, the beginning of a headache was already forming. “Isaac.”

“Scott read some stupid book in Stiles room and that turned him into a wolf.”

Nodding Derek opened his eyes and leveraged an absolutely furious look at Scott. “Go. Get. It.”

Scott scrambled to his feet only to back peddle against the wall when Stiles turned and snapped his jaws at him. “Uh...Okay so how ar-”

“Stiles!” Derek snapped sharply gaining the wolf's attention. The wolf licked at it’s muzzle cleaning away the froth of saliva. “Enough.” The wolf shook itself out, snapping back at him as its ears lowered against its skull. “Just go Scott.” As soon as Scott moved so did Stiles, but luckily for Scott so did Derek. The Alpha blocked the wolf's path to the other teen, earning himself a snap of the jaws as Stiles lunged forward. Derek stepped sideways to avoid the snapping jaws of the normally clumsy teen only to grunt when the wolf twisted around sharply to snap it’s iron clad jaws around his leg. Derek hissed at the bite of the wolf's teeth sinking into his flesh. Derek frowned a moment later when he realized that although it hurt, the wolf's teeth weren’t truly sinking in. Not as deep as he knew they could, on top of that Stiles wasn’t shaking his head back and forth to tear into him. Gazing down at the wolf who was still growling and snarling even as he kept his jaws locked tightly around Derek’s leg. Derek raised a brow at the boy turned wolf.

“Yeah uh he’s not really biting for biting?” Derek glanced towards Isaac, not even having to ask what the blonde meant as Isaac continued. “He’s more using it as a warning I guess. To make people move where he wants them. He got me and Scott over here and was just snarling at us. Well more so Scott.” The blonde pointed out with a smirk. “But he bit us a few times before that.” He waved down to his own clothing which was blood-spattered and torn.

Sighing Derek looked back down to Stiles who was still snarling even with his maw wrapped around Derek’s leg. Despite the bite of pain, it caused him, Derek knelt down grabbing the wolf's scruff and pulled him forcefully away from his leg. It hurt to forcibly pull Stiles and his teeth from his limb, but he was done being chewed on so he bore the pain. Stiles snapped inches from his face, his head twisting to try and snap at the arm holding his scruff when it proved futile to try and reach Derek's face. Derek didn’t relent in his hold, he just continued to keep the wolf at bay while simultaneously refusing to allow it to turn and bite him. The pounding of footsteps was the only warning he had before Scott stumbled back into the room and gained both his and Stiles's attention. The wolf’s head twisted away from Derek and towards his supposed best friend, he tried to lunge only to scrabble at the floor as Derek maintained his hold on the wolf's scruff.

Taking control over the situation, Derek barked orders towards the teen who he now knew to be responsible for this. He sent a glare while scathingly ordering. “Alright, you're going to take that to Deaton. He is going to explain exactly what kind of stupid you are and then we are going to turn him back.” The growl lacing his voice had Scott swallowing tensely. “Go.” Scott nodded and bolted for the door. Once he heard it slam shut behind the other teen did Derek focus once more on Stiles. “Stop.”

The wolf had once more begun trying to fight him, though it wasn’t gaining any real ground. He’d started to kink himself around in an attempt to bite only to slide out from under his own paws. Leaving him scrabbling to right himself, he kept attempting this action until one too many times. His paws coming up from under him to where he listed to the side, sliding to the ground with his belly mostly exposed as he continued to try and bite Derek. The Alpha sighed as he kept his arm just shy of the wolf's teeth, it was going to be a long day if this was how it was going to go. His eyes caught sight of Isaac moving closer, Derek frowned when the blonde teen came to crouch on the other side of Stiles.

“Isaac what are-”

Isaac smirked as he reached out and pet Stiles belly, Derek sighed in irritation as the wolf stilled momentarily only to go nuts the next. “Isaac,” Derek growled.

“What?” The boy played innocent despite the grin on his face.

“Either be useful or leave.”

Isaac nodded his head at the terms set forth by his Alpha. “So how do I be useful then? Cause I want to see this.”

Derek’s scowl didn’t faze the Beta much, he was too intent on watching Stiles freak out to notice Derek’s silent facial expression. Shaking his head Derek watched as Stiles continued to fight against him, the wolf was panting even as he continued to kick and snap. “You're just tiring yourself out.” He couldn’t help but point out.

The wolf's wild eyes latched onto him a moment before it went back to snapping at his arm. 

“Maybe you should let him go?”

“Maybe he’ll bite if I do that.” Derek bit back.

“Maybe.” The blonde was quiet all of a minute before stating. “We could see if he knows how to play fetch.” Isaac fell backward when Stiles managed to twist his head around the other way and snap at him, Derek let out an irritated huff as he struggled to get the wolf back under control.

“Isaac go home.”

The blonde glanced back at him in surprise. “Sorry.” He tucked his head down and to the side to show his submission. “Oh!” The boy sat up straight as if he’d just realized something. “Do you think you can order him as an Alpha?”

Derek blinked a few times, his eyes ratcheting down to the snarling form. “I suppose, though I’m not really his Alpha. He’s a wolf, not a werewolf.”

Isaac shrugged. “Worth a shot though right? I mean me and Scott can calm down the dogs at the clinic, how would he be any different?”

Derek hummed, he let his Beta shift slide seamlessly into place. His eyes flaring red as he growled deeply back at the wolf. “Stop!” The wolf’s head twisted around a snarl in place only for it to suddenly tense and let out a whine.

Isaac let out a surprised noise of celebration. “Sweet.”

Derek smirked around his fangs. “That’s enough.” Gently he released the wolf's scruff, warily watching to see what Stiles would do. The wolf rolled once more to its belly, though it kept its head down to show it’s neck. Reaching out Derek stroked the wolf's fur on its neck righting the upset fur from its earlier struggles. “Alright. We’ll fix whatever mess you two stepped in.” The wolf finally met his eyes, letting out a timid whine. 

“Aw, now he’s just a puppy.” Isaac back-peddled when Stiles lurched to his feet and snarled.

“Stiles!”

The wolf continued to growl at Isaac but stepped back to where he had originally been seated. Derek grabbed the wolf's scruff once more, ignoring the whine that came forth from him doing so. “We don’t attack pack.” 

“He’s no-”

Derek growled flaring his eyes at Isaac, the Beta tilted his head to the side. Giving a huff of annoyance at the entire situation, Derek released Stiles and climbed to his feet. Stiles rose as well shaking his coat out, gazing up at the Alpha towering over him. Derek stared down at the intelligent eyes of the wolf. “You two are morons.” The wolf snorted back at him even as its hackles settled.

“To be fair Scott’s the moron who read from the book.” Stiles gave a jerking motion as if to nod and confirm what Isaac was saying.

Derek’s fought the urge to smile at the wolf's actions, Stiles seemingly coming back to himself now that things had calmed down. Since Derek had taken control of things as an Alpha. With that settled at least for now, the Alpha chose to look around the room to see what devastation Stiles had managed to do while ‘attacking’ Scott and Isaac. His brow furrowed at the knocked over furniture and lamps. From what he could see the only thing broken was a lamp, though the rest of the furniture was upended from the continuous fighting. The room looked like a miniature hurricane had swept through.

“We need to clean this up.” Sending a scathing look down to Stiles when the wolf trotted over to the crooked couch and hopped up to lay down. With a motion to Isaac, they began to put the room back together. Lifting chairs, moving falling lamps and photos. Isaac quickly swept up the remnants of the broken lamp and discarded it into the garbage, sending Stiles a calculating look. Silently wondering how the teen was going to explain the broken lamp to his father once this was all over. They had to pause on more than one occasion when Stiles growled at one of them when they put something in the wrong place. Now that the major problem of the sheriff discovering about the ruckus that had happened in his house was taken care of, they could tackle whatever Stiles’ transformation might throw at them. 

Derek sent Isaac a passive look even as he dug out the keys to his car. “Isaac take my car, I’ll lead him through the woods back to the loft.” Tossing the keys to his Camaro, Derek stared down at Stiles. “You will not wander off.”

Stiles gave a yip in reply. Derek held his gaze for a second longer as if to make sure that the teen wasn’t going to suddenly change his mind on the subject. Derek allowed his gaze to settle upon his Beta. “Call Scott once you get there, make sure he’s aware that we’ve left Stiles house and that he needs to cover for him if his dad asks where he is.”

Isaac gave a hasty nod before he ran out the front door. Derek moved to head through the kitchen only to stop when his jacket was snatched up. Glowering down at the wolf Derek didn’t even get the chance to ask what he thought he was doing before Stiles ran back to the front door.

“No, we are not going outside that way, the whole damn town-”

Stiles barked before jumping up onto his hind legs and pawing at the locks. Derek coughed a bit, right the locks. The sheriff would know something was up if he came home to an unlocked house. Striding over he quickly engaged the locks on the door.

“Anything else?” He questioned the wolf. 

Stiles glanced around before trotting off towards the kitchen, a sigh of relief followed him as Derek entered only to glare as Stiles was pulling on the fridge handle.

“Stop it,” Derek growled. “I can feed you at the loft.”

Stiles released the handle to glare back at him, pawing at the handle. Derek growled prowling forward to wrench the fridge open, Stiles dived in and snatched something up. Derek shut the fridge, twisting around to see that Stiles had managed to stand back up on his hind legs to place a bag on the counter. He sent the man a ‘you're an idiot look’ before hopping down and trotting over to the back door. Derek shook his head as he made his way over, stopping before it.

“Won’t he realize the back doors unlocked?” There wasn’t anything they could really do about it, but it would be good to know how on guard the sheriff might be about this if they couldn’t fix Stiles by the end of the day. Stiles snorted and shook his head. “Alright.” Opening the back door, Derek peeked his head out to makes sure none of the boys' neighbors were about. Only to hiss after the wolf as it went lopping out into the backyard without his say so. Seemingly no worries about being seen by the neighbors. “Stiles.”

The wolf craned its head around before snorting, continuing on his way into the tree line. Growling under his breath, Derek took off after the wolf after shutting the back door. With any luck, they’d have the imbecile changed back before the end of the day. Running into the tree line, Derek scoured the nearby area for the boy turned wolf.

“Stiles get out here right now!” Movement caught the periphery, twisting around he saw Stiles rubbing against a tree. Snorting at the wolf's behavior Derek muttered. “Come on.” He walked a few paces ahead to make sure Stiles was following him and then broke off into a light jog. Stiles was right on his heel, coming to run beside him. Derek smirked as the wolf effortlessly kept pace with him, deciding to test something Derek increased his speed. The wolf easily matched him, the pair running through the forest for miles without ever stopping. Stiles let out an excited bark, chuckling Derek came to an abrupt halt Stiles slid a few paces ahead before twisting about. Tongue hanging from his mouth as he panted, tail wagging excitedly behind him.

“That’s farther than you could ever run as a human.” Derek taunted. Stiles shook his head sending bits of drool flying from his extended tongue before lowering down in a supine position that invited play. Derek rolled his eyes. “We still have a ways to go.” Instead of running ahead, Derek chose to walk. He could see the wolf's rib cage expanding and retracting as it panted to catch its breath. Stiles didn’t seem to mind their slower pace which was good as Derek didn’t want to find out if whatever they did now would effect the boy upon returning him to his human form. Somehow running five miles didn’t seem like a good thing for the normally slow clumsy human. Derek glanced down from time to time, only to make sure that Stiles was keeping pace. He was. The wolf didn’t seem to have a problem with lopping beside him, stopping every once and a while to catch an intriguing scent. Derek smirked every time he did it, the teen's sense of smell now rivaled his own and the Alpha couldn’t help but be curious as to what Stiles thought of it.

“You can smell like the rest of us now, you’re lucky we're in the woods and not in town.”

Stiles' head jerked round to stare at the Alpha, the wolf's head canting to the side only to receive a nod from Derek. Stiles lifting his head to scent the air, Derek did as well to try and find the most obvious scent in the air. It would be the thing that Stiles would most likely focus on given he had no prior experience with these heightened senses. 

The air was clear, crisp as it always was this deep in the woods. Underlying scents of the trees, moss, and dirt were steady reminders of where they were. Derek could hear the far off sounds of game, their smell too far out to catch just yet. However the scent of other wildlife was closer, Derek wondered if Stiles would chase after any of the creatures if given the opportunity. He was sure that could be amusing in its own right, up until the teen caught something if he was able. 

Stiles continued to scent the air a moment before twisting about to face him. The wolf trotted over to him before plopping down on his butt before him, Derek raised a brow at his behavior. Silently asking what he was up to. Stiles leaned forward nosing his hand a bit. The warm puffs of the wolfs breath ghosted his flesh at the same time the cold wet nose grazed his hand causing Derek to pull his hand back. 

He scowled down at the boy, not overly fond of being touched. “What are you doing?”

Stiles snorted at the Alpha's dark retort and shook his head, rising to his feet once more the wolf came forward and nudged him in the hip with his muzzle. Derek watched the boy's actions play out, glaring when the wolf knawed on the edge of his jacket. Derek pulled the leather away from the wolf's prying teeth, Stiles let out a huff Derek sent an annoyed look to the wolf. “Stop that.”

Stiles gave him an equally annoyed look, sniffing the air in front of him before nudging him once more. Derek tilted his head a moment, sniffing the air himself before watching the wolf go through the same motion. Scenting the air and nudging him. Derek rolled his eyes when he caught onto what had Stiles nudging him. “Of course you can smell me, I’m right here.” Stiles stared back at him with a ‘who's the idiot now.’ look. Derek pushed past the wolf, not wanting to dig deeper into why the boy was locked onto his scent instead of something else in the woods. They still had a ways to go and he couldn’t put it past the boy to wander off. “Stay close. I don’t want to be traipsing through the woods after you.”

Stiles quickly caught up with the surely Alpha, keeping a light pace beside the werewolf. Only pausing here or there to inspect something of merit before running to keep stride with Derek who didn’t bother to stop every time the wolf got distracted. They walked in relative silence, the only real sound between them the subtle chuffing of Stiles scenting things. The crunch of underbrush beneath their feet.

“Did you know what was in that book?” Derek found himself asking out of the blue. As much as he’d like to say the teen was an idiot, Derek knew that he wasn’t. Stiles might get into shit but he was smarter than most gave him credit for, so finding that Scott had been the reason why this happened in the first place made sense. That didn’t, however, explain how Stiles had come to have the book in his possession let alone if he knew what it would do.

Stiles caught up with him upon hearing the older man’s question. The wolf shook his coat out in a negative.

“You knew better than to start reading the damn thing.” He growled. Stiles snorted, giving him an annoyed. ‘I know better’ look which Derek quickly countered. “You don’t even realize half the stuff you two do is dangerous. You’re reckless.” Stiles huffed, his ears flickering as Derek continued. “And it is the two of you, your always together when you get into something.” 

Stiles was silent a moment before tilting his head a bit as if he was considering what the man had to say about him and Scott. Then he snorted, dismissing all of the Alpha’s apparent complaints about himself and Scott.

“When this is figured out-” Derek growled.

Stiles raised his own hackles to growl back at the threatening Alpha, not in the least bit afraid of doing so as like so many times before he ran his mouth. Only this time it took a different form than words. Derek flared his eyes at him and Stiles lowered himself to the ground, not fully rolling over to show his belly this time. Just gaining a pose of submission as he tilted his head back to show his neck. 

Derek huffed in an irritated fashion as he stared down at the wolf who was prostrating itself before him. “At least now you understand something about pack hierarchy, maybe you can teach Scott.” He passed the wolf as he stomped through the woods intent on getting them back to the loft and figuring out how to fix this mess. Derek made it exactly ten steps before he was crashing to the ground. Rolling to the side and leveraging himself up onto his arms He growled at the wolf which had thrown him to the ground. Stiles was snarling back at him, snapping his jaws in a threatening manner though he wasn’t actively lunging for him. Yet. Derek growled as he pushed himself up to his knees only to grunt as Stiles ran forward to take him down as if to make him submit. Derek pushed the wolf's head aside, unsure if Stiles intended to go for his throat or not. The wolf was still snapping, but couldn’t get a grasp on him with their current position. Stiles could keep the other man pinned though, his body weight enough to make it hard for Derek to move the wolf.

“Damn it, Stiles,” Derek growled as he fought with the teen physically restraining himself from lashing out just holding the wolf at bay. The wolf was snarling as it tried to get its head around the harsh grip Derek had on its jaw, the only saving grace Derek had at the moment to prevent injury to his own body. “Get off of me.” Derek gritted through his own canines, his Beta shift falling into place as he grew agitated by the boy's refusal to listen to him. The pair wrestled against each other, Stiles teeth inches from the Alpha’s flesh as Derek fought to keep the wolf at bay and shove the boy off at the same time. 

Stiles managed to find some purchase on the Alpha, his claws digging into the man's chest as the small advance on Derek allowed his jaws to come around Derek’s shoulder and the bite of teeth came through the leather jacket the Alpha always wore. 

The Alpha grunted at the searing pain from Stiles biting him, the fangs sliding through and digging into his flesh as if it were the leather jacket the teeth had just rendered useless. 

Derek’s anger had always gotten the best of him, it was his anchor but also something that controlled him far too often and this time was no different. Before Derek thought it through the wolf dug his claws into the wolf's side and threw the animal to the side as if it was any other wolf he was fighting. Huffing Derek sat up, eyes alight with fury as he gripped his own shoulder only to pause. Stiles was a few feet off, letting out small whines as blood began to mat his coat, slipping down the coarse fur to fall to the ground. Derek froze at the sight, his mind racing back to the forefront the earlier rage at the teen disappearing. Stiles wasn’t a werewolf and even if he had been Derek was an Alpha.

  
  



	2. How do you heal a wolf?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek faces the consequences of injuring Stiles, Isaac and the pack help care for Stiles while Derek attempts to get answers from Deaton.

“Stiles-”

The wolf backed away from him as Derek got to his feet, tail firmly between his legs as he attempted to make himself appear smaller. Derek put out his hands, wincing at the sight of the boy's blood on one of them. The placating gesture didn’t do him any good as Stiles continued to whine as he backed away from the werewolf. Gritting his teeth, Derek flared his eyes at the boy and compelled him with his voice.

“Lay down.”

Stiles let out a whimper but he did as told, rolling to the side to show his belly, Derek fought the gorge rising up his throat at the sight of his grey coat being stained with the boy's own blood. The Alpha didn’t waste any time getting crossing the distance between them. The Alpha knelt and tried to move the fur aside to see what damage he’d done to the boy only to freeze when Stiles whimpered.

“Hold still I need to see.”

Stiles didn’t fight back as Derek moved his fur aside, Gritting his teeth when he found the wounds he’d caused on the wolf's body, the blood was thick there hiding the real punctures. It still showed enough. His eyes found those of the wolf’s whose eyes were wide in fear of displeasing him, sharp pants came from the wolf.

“Okay. We’re going to head straight to the loft. We need to patch you up.” Derek didn’t mention that he had no idea how he was going to do that, but that was for later. At the moment he just needed to get the wolf there. Rising to his feet, Derek took a few steps back. The throbbing of his own wound had already faded, his flesh sealing itself closed leaving only the blood and torn clothing behind.

“Get up.” Derek urged the boy. Although the wolf did get back onto his belly, he didn’t rise as the Alpha indicated. Derek frowned as he watched Stiles canter his head around to lick at his side, looking away at the sight. “Stiles get up we have to go.” Derek glanced about trying to gauge just how far away they were from the loft when he dared to look back at the wolf it was to find the boys own blood on staining his muzzle. Derek sighed, they weren’t going to get back to the loft anytime soon if he couldn’t get Stiles up and moving. 

“Can you get up?” The Alpha realized that he had once again assumed that the boy was more than just a wolf, which he wasn’t. The boy was undoubtedly in pain from the wounds Derek had caused and didn’t seem inclined to put himself through more just for his sake. Stiles tried though, slowly rising to his feet with a whimper. Tail still tucked low, head low so as not to meet his eyes. Stiles managed to stay on his feet, his eyes upturned towards Derek to see what the wolf wanted him to do now.

Derek’s hands were tightly ground into fists, his own claws biting into his flesh. “Come on.” He took a few steps forward to see what the boy would do, Stiles followed though it was a far slower pace. The earlier merriment in the boys form long gone as he trudged quietly behind Derek. Doing all he could to remain out of the Alpha’s way, staying submissive as they walked through the woods. The scent of the boy's blood was cloying to his nose, but Derek had to live with it. He’d caused it after all and there was nothing he could do to stop the boy from bleeding at the moment. The Alpha could only be grateful that he hadn’t dug in and slashed the boy. If he had there would have been a far greater need to get back to civilization. As it was the boy was bleeding, but Derek didn’t figure it was life-threatening. Derek glanced over his shoulder from time to time to ensure that the footsteps he could hear were that of the wolfs. They were. He hated the submissive pose Stiles kept, refusing to look up and meet his eyes. It didn’t suit the loud-mouthed teen, it made something in Derek’s stomach roil. They were nearly out of the woods, the loft off in the distance before Derek managed to grasp the words.

“I didn’t mean to-To do that.”

Stiles either didn’t hear him or didn’t care because the wolf didn’t react one way or the other. He just followed blindly as Derek came through the last line of trees. Sighing the Alpha led the boy towards the building, leading him through it until coming to a stop before the elevator. Stiles was shifting from paw to paw anxiously, his ears tucked down to his head for more than just submission.

“I know it’s loud,” Derek muttered as the ancient elevator squealed as it came to a halt before them. Derek ushered the boy inside before shutting the gates and pressing the number. The elevator lurched sending Stiles scrabbling to maintain his footing, if it weren’t for the boy's blood making a tap tap tap sound on the metal floor Derek might have found the boy's clumsiness amusing. Instead, he remained silent, staring forward at the gates. The elevator gave another lurch as they came to the proper floor, Derek sighed as he threw the gate aside and waited for Stiles to step out. Derek walked around the wolf and lead him down towards the large metal door that blocked his loft off from the hallway. Derek could hear Isaac, but he wasn’t alone. The Alpha groaned as he heard the voice of Erica, if she was here then so was Boyd and with all three of his Beta’s here it was sure to be a long day. 

Stiles had canted his head just a fraction at the Alpha’s verbal response to something that he hadn’t picked up while blindly following the man. Stiles lowered his head once more as they came to the door. 

Derek wrenched it open, shouting out to his Beta’s. “Shut up.” Stiles hunkered in beside him, doing far more good to shut the teens up than Derek’s order.

“Oh my god, he is a wolf.” Erica’s eyes were wide as she took in the sight of the other teen. Boyd was seemingly in shock as well though it was hard to tell given that the boy didn’t speak much. 

Isaac’s reaction wasn’t one of bewilderment, he’d seen this magic trick before, it was the sudden introduction of blood that had the Beta rasping. “Derek he’s blee-”

“I know.” Came the gruff response from their Alpha. Taking a deep breath after seeing the teens flinch at his harsh response. “I know. Help me get him into the bathroom.”

Isaac nodded, though he wanted to know what had happened, taking care of the teen would be higher up on their priorities. “Come on Stiles.” He motioned the wolf to come forward, he stoutly refused. Isaac sent a look towards Derek, waiting to see what was going to happen.

The Alpha glanced down at the submissive pose of the wolf. Sighing Derek turned to shut the loft door, ensuring that Stiles couldn’t run anywhere but in the loft. Securing the boy's position at least for now. Derek headed into the heart of the loft, hearing Stiles follow behind him. “Come on.” Isaac fell in line. Derek called down the hallway to the other Beta’s. “Get some food.”

“Food? What can he eat?”

“I don’t know Erica!” Derek snapped.

“Right...Food.” 

Sighing Derek came to a stop before the bathroom, he leveraged an irritated look down to Stiles who still refused to meet his gaze. “Inside.” The wolf tucked into the room without a single motion of rebellion. Isaac paused before the door, wringing his hands a bit. Derek shook his head. “He was being a-He attacked me in the woods because of something I said.” He motioned towards the drying blood on his shoulder, the holes in his jacket.

Isaac nodded. Derek sighed, the look Isaac was giving him, it was similar to the looks he’d seen the blonde give when talking about his father. About the abuse, nothing Derek could say now would take that memory away from Isaac but Derek could admit. “I forgot.”

“That he’s human.”

Derek nodded, it sounded so stupid to his own ears. How could someone forget? Yet, he’d done so and now Stiles was hurt. “I was only trying to get him off of me.” He muttered sourly.

“He’ll be okay though right? I-I mean he heals?”

“Should be, we need to clean his fur and get a good look at it. I could only see so much in the woods...I don’t know if he heals like a normal wolf or not.”

Isaac tucked into the room with Derek, the latter shutting the bathroom door to cut off any means of escape should Stiles decide to put up a fight. Isaac paused a moment to take in the supine form of the teen, Stiles had his head tucked low, his tail firmly under his belly though he wasn’t laying on the ground. Glancing back to Derek the blonde asked. “Shower?” Derek nodded. Isaac walked over to the corner stall and turned on the shower, gauging the temperature into something more comfortable than the ice-cold it always started out as given the old piping and old furnace in the building. 

Derek left the blonde to it, focusing his attention on Stiles. “Were going to get you cleaned up and take care of your side. I’ll call Deaton for an update afterward.” Stiles didn’t make a sound in reply he also didn’t look up from where he was staring at the floor like a scorned puppy. Gritting his teeth, Derek took a breath when he heard Isaac call out that the shower was ready. “Alright come on.” He motioned for Stiles to get into the stream of water. 

The wolf came as far as the edge before stilling. Isaac smirked at the beasts apprehension, promising the other teen in the hopes of getting him to corporate. “It’s warm.” Still, the wolf refused to step into it. Isaac shot a confused look at Derek, the Alpha ignored him in favor of leaning down to grasp the wolf hind and shove him forward a bit. 

The wolf yelped and tumbled into the water. It snorted as water trailed down its nose, shaking its head uselessly in an attempt to rid itself of the moisture pelting him. Isaac smirked as he watched Stiles lay on the bottom of the shower stall, once it appeared that he wouldn’t be allowed back outside by the two wolves in the doorway. The swirls of pink going down the drain caught his attention next. Swallowing nervously Isaac was surprised when Derek put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to stay, I shouldn’t have asked y-”

“It’s fine.” Isaac bit out hoarsely. “It’s fine.” He repeated in a stronger voice. Kneeling down the blonde reached out and gently ruffled the wolf's fur between its ears. Stiles lifted his gaze from the water drain and stared back at him with a wounded expression.

“Let’s get you clean.” Isaac fell to his knees, effortlessly stripping out of his shirt and tossing it aside as he was sure he was going to get wet just as if he was tending to an animal at the clinic. “You know you're a lot bigger than the husky I had to bathe the other day.” 

Derek snorted as he joined him on the floor after casting his leather jacket aside but leaving his shirt intact. “ Of course he’s a lot bigger than that. He’s a wolf, not a dog.”

“True.” 

When it seemed that Stiles wasn’t about to make a move on them when they touched him, the pair gently stroked the wolf's fur. Trying to find the direct source of the blood. They knew when they got it when Stiles kicked and gave a yelp of pain.

“I’m sorry. Shh, it’s okay.” Isaac’s hand ratcheted up to hold the wolf's head away when Stiles tried to turn and ‘bathe’ his own wound. “It’s okay.” Isaac nodded to Derek, leaving it up to the Alpha to get a good look at the wound while Isaac held the wolf's head captive. Giving soothing words to the wolf as if it was a scared animal in the clinic and not someone he went to high school with. 

Derek tuned it all out as he moved the boys soaked fur, he found the first puncture his claws had made. It wasn’t perfectly round because his claws weren’t, it looked like it had gone in a good inch though. Sighing Derek parted the boy's fur, finding each of the punctures his hand had left in its wake. The good news is that he had been right, the wounds weren’t life-threatening. The bad news was that he didn’t have a clue on how to treat them. Turning his attention to Isaac, the Alpha had to admit defeat. “How do we treat these?”

Isaac leaned over, Stiles's head tucked into his chest. Getting a good glance at the wound, Isaac made a face before admitting. “Uh...Well at the clinic we’d shave him.” He gave a blanched look.

Derek sighed before dumbly stating. “We’re not shaving him.”

“Well, we could just wrap his chest then, cause we can’t individually wrap the wounds. Not with his fur at least, it would be pointless.”

Derek nodded his head, it was a small compromise considering he couldn’t bring himself to shave Stiles. Lord knew what it might do to the boy's human form. Leaving Isaac to contain Stiles, Derek rose to go sort through the cabinets in his bathroom. Rifling around in his cabinets for some form of first aid, he growled when he didn’t come up with much. Of course, he didn’t, Derek was a werewolf so he didn’t have much use for things.

“You could send Erica or Boyd. Probably Boyd.” Isaac commented idly, somehow knowing what the problem was without even looking. “He can get stuff.”

“And in the meantime?”

“You’ve got towels, right? I mean ones you don’t care about...Cause of th-”

Derek hummed as he moved to the cabinet below the sink. Throwing it open and grabbing all the towels he had. Isaac gave a wry smirk at his distressed Alpha, trying to hide the smirk in his words as he told the man. “We only need one or two, just something to lay him on so he doesn’t get blood everywhere.”

“I don’t care about blood staining the floor Isaac.” Derek grit out.

The blonde shrugged, not taking the man’s irritation as anything but what it was. Frustration at being uncertain of how to help. “Well then if you don’t mind we can use a blanket to give him something soft to lay on. We have to wait to wrap him up so really its just about comfort.”

Derek had to restrain himself from throwing the towels aside, his anger at himself wasn’t a good enough reason to startle Stiles again, let alone make this hard on Isaac. He settled for placing the towels on the sink, wrenching the door open and shouting down the hall despite not needing to. “Boyd go to the store and get some first aid stuff. We need to wrap him up.”

“Okay.” Came the monotone reply. Giving a nod to himself Derek turned in time to see Isaac shutting off the water. Derek gave an annoyed look when Erica called down the hallway.

“You don’t have shit for food.”

“Then go get some!” Derek shouted back in a juvenile display of refusing to use a normal voice seeing as they all had super hearing. He waited to hear the loft door open and close before taking a deep breath. Turning his attention to the bigger problem, Derek watched Stiles and Isaac.

Stiles climbed slowly to his feet looking rather pathetic with his drenched coat. “I think we could use those towels now,” Isaac muttered. Stiles looked like he had the urge to shake, but didn’t quite want to for fear of agitating his own wounds. Derek handed the blonde a towel, took one for himself, and joined Isaac in attempting to dry the wolf's coat. Both of them steered clear of the boy's wounds, Isaac going so far as to make the wolf's mane stand up.

“Gave you a mohawk.” He crowed. Stiles lifted his head a bit to stare back at the blonde. “Suits you,” Isaac smirked. Stiles lowered his head back down and shook his head causing his fur to fall flat once more. Isaac hummed to himself, not dissuaded from the teen's refusal to partake in his game. 

Derek was thorough in his movements to dry the wolf's coat, remembering how his mother and Laura had said how annoying it was to be covered in mud or water. A small smile came to his face when he remembered a time that Laura came into the house drenched and looking quite annoyed as she dripped water all over the floor. He shook his head to get re-orientated to his present task. Stiles was far dryer than he had been at the start of the task, but the water still clung to his undercoat. “I don’t think we can do much more.” He admitted.

“Yeah, his coats too thick.” Rubbing the fur on the boy's head once more, Isaac smiled at the wolf. “Did you try howling?”

Stiles made eye contact once more, almost as if he was unsure if he was being teased. Isaac smirked back at him. “Come on it’s fun.” Stiles huffed before shaking his head. “You should totally try.”

“Isaac.”

“What? I bet he’s better at it than Scott.”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Come on, let's get him settled in the other room so I can call Deaton.”

Isaac didn’t argue. Rising to his feet he waited for Stiles to follow after Derek to fall in line behind the wolf. Derek stopped at a nearby closet and pulled out some spare blankets before continuing forward. Back in the main loft space, Derek gave the blankets over to Isaac and went into the kitchen to make the call. Isaac watched his Alpha leave the room, well aware that the man could still hear him even as he whispered to Stiles.

“He didn’t mean to dude.”

Stiles met his gaze as he curled around himself on the blankets Isaac had set down for him.

“He-He forgot, I mean your a wolf, but not a werewolf. It’s confusing.” Stiles let out a heavy sigh. Isaac nodded in reply even though he hadn’t been asked anything. “I know.” Isaac glanced over his shoulder towards the kitchen. “I’m sure Deaton will help us figure this out.

**********

Derek grit his teeth as he waited for Deaton to answer the phone when it finally connected he didn’t bother to mince words. “What do you know?”

“Hello, Derek.”

“Deaton.” He ground out, his patience was frayed after his earlier encounter with Stiles in the woods. The guilt gnawing at him, he wanted to know how to fix the teen so that everything could go back to normal.

The druid gave a sigh, most likely because he was annoyed at the lack of civilities between them. “The book that Stiles managed to get a hold of is...Obscure.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’m surprised he had it all, it’s something we will have to ask him. At another time of course.”

Derek stared at the wall between himself and Stiles, Isaac was talking softly to the wolf but none of that mattered to the Alpha. What mattered was that Deaton had already said that whatever this stupid book was, it wasn’t something Stiles should have had in his possession. Just like Deaton, he’d have to wait to find out how that came to be. “Deaton, how do we change him back?” The druid was silent for a moment, Derek could hear him idly talking with Scott in the background and rolled his eyes when the druid informed the adolescent wolf not to touch something. It seemed that was an irksome habit of the boys. 

Deaton came back onto the line with a hum. “I took a look at what Scott read, technically speaking it should have worked on him. Seeing as he was the one who was reading from the book, but I believe that since he’s already a...Kind of wolf it went to the closest person.”

“Stiles.”

“Exactly.”

“And how do we change him back?”

“That I am unclear about.” The druid mused. “There is a chance it might exhaust itself out as it were, the magic keeping him as a wolf having no source to keep it going.”

“Right...And the other option?” Deaton was silent. “Deaton.”

“There are only so many outcomes to this Derek and I can only postulate what mig-”

“Then do that!” Derek barked out.

The druid let out another sigh at being interrupted so rudely. “Besides the magic exhausting itself, there is a chance that this might be permanent.” A loud crash from the other side of the line had Deaton muttering at Scott. ‘ I told you this was dangerous magic Scott, you should not have been playing with it.’ Derek fought the urge to strangle the boy himself at the next opportune moment.

“Deaton.” 

The druid hummed. “Yes right, well I suppose there are always other avenues for this transformation to take, though I haven’t the slightest idea what. Frankly, there are too many variables, and until I have more information I can’t help tell you which outcome is more likely. I’ll continue to try and decipher the book's intentions, but we will have to wait and see. In the meantime, he should be safe enough, though I would caution you not to let anyone see him.”

Derek snorted at the absurd warning as if Derek was going to parade Stiles around town as his pet. “I already know that! What are we supposed to do with him?”

“Watch him.” Came the simple reply.

Grinding his teeth Derek was forced to take a shaky breath before admitting. “Fine. What do I do if he gets hurt?”

“Hurt?”

“Yes.” Derek grit out, refusing to say why he needed this information. Choosing to give the druid a ‘what if’ scenario. “If he gets cut or I don’t know hits something.”

The other side of the line was quiet a moment. ‘Scott would you get some more antibiotics from the back storage. Yes, I know you'll have to go into the cat room...Thank you.’ More silence. “Is he hurt?”

“I...He-”

“Derek, is he hurt?”

“Yes.”

“How badly?”

Facing the music, a repentant Alpha abruptly replied. “Claw...I punctured his side.”

“Punctured or slashed?”

“Punctured.”

“How deep?”

“An inch or so.”

Deaton hummed before advising. “The best course of action is to clean the wounds and apply a dressing, you can’t apply a dressing over his-”

“I know.” Derek gritted out already seeing where the man was going with that current train of thought. “What else can we do? He’s in pain-”

“Derek.” The man sounded amused. “I believe you are well versed in how to take care of pain, of the physical sort at least.”

“Right. That’ll work on him?” It was a stupid question seeing as he knew Isaac had used it on the animals at the clinic, but his mind was just so frazzled by the entire notion of Stiles being a wolf in general to realize that.

“I believe so. If it doesn’t I can send something with Scott later on. In the meantime make him comfortable and try to keep him contained. I assume you are at home?”

“Yes, were at the loft. He can’t get out.” He promised the druid.

“Good. I will do my best to try and find a solution, but there is plenty that I cannot solve. This magic is old Derek, how Stiles came to have this book is beyond my understanding. I don’t know what purpose he intended it for, but it is safe to say this was not what he expected.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

Deaton’s calm melodic tone came through one last time. “I will continue to read up on this if I find something I will call. I’ll keep Scott here to-Help for as long as possible.”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Sure. Make sure he covers for Stiles if we don’t know how long this will last his father will notice.”

“Of course.”

And with that, the phone went dead. Derek took a deep breath, this was not what he had planned for today. All he had wanted was to have some peace and quiet, read his book. Now he had a teenager turned into a literal wolf and for God knew how long. He was going to murder them when they had this figured out. In the meantime, Derek left the kitchen to see what Isaac had gotten up to with Stiles.


	3. Lashing out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek discovers just how bad Stiles and Scott screwed up after Deaton analyzes the book. The pack tends to Stiles' wound and Erica goes too far in her teasing.

Derek found the blond seated next to Stiles on the blankets, idly petting the wolf. Stiles's eyes were closed at the moment, Derek couldn’t tell if that was because he was enjoying being petted or because he was tired. Isaac looked over to him, a silent question being passed.

“Deaton is looking into it.”

“Yeah?”

Derek nodded as he came closer, kneeling down in front of the pair. “Says the book was rare...Doesn’t know how Stiles got a hold of it.”

Stiles opened his eyes, the blue orbs ratcheting up to the Alpha’s green. Derek tilted his head a bit. “Did you know what was in it?”

Stiles blew out a long stream of air in reply. Derek looked away unsure what to do now. Isaac glanced back and forth between the pair, lost at who he should be focused on. Ultimately, he decided to just continue petting Stiles and remain quiet. Derek wasn’t really one for needless chit chat and there wasn’t anything Isaac knew to say that would make the werewolf feel better for having injured Stiles. Likewise, there wasn’t much he could say to Stiles about the whole debacle. They weren’t exactly close and he was still surprised that Stiles was allowing him to pet him in the first place. He wasn’t one to rock the boat. When Derek’s phone went off all of their attention narrowed down to the object as Derek quickly unlocked it and answered.

“Hello?” He frowned a moment. “I don’t care, Erica,” Isaac smirked as he listened to his Alpha mutter back to the girl. “What do you think wolves eat?!”

Stiles snorted as if he was amused as well, gaining both of their attentions. Derek rolled his eyes. “No, I’m pretty sure that doesn’t count.” 

The terseness of his voice wasn’t something either of them wasn’t used to, but Isaac still muttered. “I think she’s too flustered to remember your a carnivore.”

Stiles huffed in reply clearly agreeing with the blondes sentiment.

“Erica just get some hamburger.” Derek listened when Erica still found something to ask him despite the easy order. “No, I don’t care what kind. Did Boyd get some supplies?” 

Isaac couldn’t help but whisper. “There’s more than one kind of hamburger?” Derek shot him a glare causing the blonde to duck his head and mutter a quiet apology for interrupting. Stiles twisted his head towards Isaac and nudged the boy's arm away from his lap. Laying his head across it and startling both Isaac and Derek at the motion. Isaac quickly shot a frantic look towards Derek, asking what he was supposed to do. His Alpha didn’t have an answer apparently because he went back to the conversation. 

“Yeah, that should work. Get back here as soon as you can.” Derek sighed as he ended the call. Giving Stiles an irritated expression as he watched the wolf continue to lay across his Beta. 

“What did Deaton say?”

“That the spell should wear off on its own.” Derek gave Isaac a look, the Beta nodded clearly having heard the lie.

“That’s er...Good.”

Derek nodded his head before allowing his gaze to fall onto the blue iris’ of the wolf. “He’s keeping Scott there so they can research the book and create an alibi for Stiles.” The wolf shifted its head a bit to stare back at Derek. “I don’t know what he’s going to tell the sheriff.”

The wolf in question gave a small whine.

“At this point, he’s probably not going to ask much right?” Stiles tilted his head to stare up at Isaac. “I mean he’s got to be used to you and Scott doing weird shit.” Stiles snorted. Isaac smirked when it appeared that his comment wasn’t taken to heart. “Cause I can distinctly recall more than one instance of you two showing up at a crime scene.”

Stiles huffed as if he was annoyed for being called out for that. 

Derek raised a brow. “Seriously?”

“It happens.”

Derek was not convinced by that simple platitude, he stared down the wolf all the while stating. “And that was before wolves.”

Isaac snickered. “Way before wolves.”

Stiles grumbled twisting his head into the teen’s chest as if to hide away from the mean Alpha who was glaring at him. Isaac just chuckled and allowed Stiles to do what he wanted. 

“You have to admit you two got into a lot of trouble even before the werewolf stuff if your dad wasn’t the sheriff you’d have a record a mile long for trespassing and god knows what else.” Stiles tilted his head a bit from where he’d maintained his present burrowing into Isaac’s shirt before giving a huff at the smirking blonde.

The trio fell back into an awkward silence after Derek learned that his earlier assessments over the two teens wasn’t so far off, it painted a clear enough picture that Scott and Stiles would have eventually gotten themselves into trouble had they not been trespassing in the woods that night. Scott’s poorly timed meeting with Peter had just been the pinnacle of a long line of stupid mistakes, now they could add this to the list of things the two boys had gotten involved in without a thought towards the consequences.

“Deaton is going to want to know how you got a hold of that book.”

Stiles spared him a glance though he didn’t make a sound as he shifted his head on the Beta’s lap, no longer hiding away.

Isaac snorted as he clued into Derek’s curiosity. “Probably bought it off eBay.” That earned him a snort from the wolf. Derek rolled his eyes at the blonde’s theory, Isaac shrugged his shoulders before backing up his previous statement. “What they have loads of that shit on there.”

“I don’t think he was stupid enough to buy supernatural books off eBay.” He sent the wolf a calculating look. “Then again...” Stiles lifted a lip to show his fangs, Derek smirked at the threat. “I doubt Deaton will let you keep it after this.”

“Big surprise there. I mean if Scott reading it can do this, imagine what they could do with whatever else is in there.”

Derek hummed, Isaac wasn’t wrong there. Any book that could cause this kind of transformation was strong. “Deaton said that the only reason it didn’t do anything to Scott was that he was already a werewolf. The spell latched onto the nearest body.” He sent Stiles a poignant look. “You were the closest and this is what happened.”

Stiles gave a small whine, only to close his eyes when Isaac started petting his head. Isaac chuckled when his attempt to soothe Stiles ended with the wolf's tail wagging a bit. “That feel good?” Stiles snuggled his head into the boy's body, earning himself another chuckle from the blonde.

Derek looked on in silence, his own thoughts warring with what Deaton had said. That the spell could be permanent. He wasn’t sure how they would deal with this if that was indeed the case. The biggest issue being what to do with Stiles, the teen was the son of the sheriff so there was really only two choices. Inform the man about the supernatural and explain what happened with Stiles, OR allow Stiles to be labeled missing so the man is none the wiser about the supernatural and not involved with the pack. Neither of those prospects was particularly good in his book, though he’d rather avoid the chance of being shot by the sheriff. Even if he didn’t have wolfsbane bullets, Derek wasn’t overly fond of dealing with digging out slugs from his own body. The sound of the Camaro had all of them alert, Stiles ear straight up in the air as he slowly lifted his head.

“It’s just Erica and Boyd.” 

Stiles tilted his head towards Isaac a moment, lowered his head back down onto the boy's lap and closed his eyes. The sounds of the elevator being called to the ground floor echoed distantly in their ears, increasing in volume when it rose to the floor of the loft. Stiles' ears twitched as he listened to the new sounds that he could hear with great clarity, Isaac snickered when he watched an ear flick towards the door as it swung open to admit the two wolves. Erica and Boyd came in both with bags in tow. Derek didn’t even bother to ask what all they had bought, it wasn’t important. 

“Did you get bandages?”

Boyd nodded as he walked over, his eyes flitting over the form of the wolf. It was hard to come to terms that the wolf in front of them was the same boy who talked too much. Handing a bag off to Derek, Boyd crouched down to pull out some peroxide. 

Isaac winced at the sight of that, giving the bigger Beta a sigh. “Well, he’s not going to like that.”

Stiles lifted his head to turn around and see what Isaac was staring at, he saw the brown bottle and growled.

“Hey.” Isaac patted his head. “He’s got a point though. I mean our claws aren’t the most...Sanitary of things and your a wolf not a werewolf so infection is kinda something to be worried about.” 

Derek nodded his head even as he tore open a package of gauze with his teeth. Stiles still glared at the peroxide as Boyd tore off the safety seal. Isaac gently motioned Stiles to lay his head back down on the blanket as he came to kneel at his back. 

“Alright I’ll lift up his fur and you can pour that.” Taking a deep breath Isaac muttered. “Try not to bite us, Stiles.”

The wolf huffed in annoyance to the request, Boyd waited for Isaac to nod before pouring the liquid over the wolves side. Stiles tensed letting out a sharp yelp as he scrambled to get to his feet in order to get away from the stinging pain. Stiles never made it though, as soon as he tried the pain dissipated. His form relaxed as his head came to rest back onto the blankets. Blinking owlishly up at Derek who’s arm was an assortment of black veins. The Alpha nodded to his Beta’s when they sent curious looks his way, not one to argue Isaac continued what he was doing. Having Boyd pour the bottle out across the various punctures Derek’s claws had left behind. When the bottle was empty and the fizzing had stopped did Isaac and Boyd began to mop up some of the excess liquid staining the wolf's coat. When it was as contained as they could manage it, the blonde reached for the gauze pads and with a bit of maneuvering placed a couple sheets of gauze over the wounds.

“Alright. Boyd, can you get your hands underneath him?”

Boyd sent a cautious glance towards the wolf in question, but at Derek’s reassuring nod that Stiles wouldn’t be any trouble did as asked. Stiles didn’t seem to care at all. Never moving to attack or shy away, though he did adjust his own body when the larger boys' arms came beneath him. Derek continued to siphon the boy's pain off as his Beta’s took to wrapping the wolf's form. Stiles seemed relaxed enough to let them do as they pleased and Derek soon found himself staring into the startling blue eyes of the wolf. Stiles was staring back at him, relaxed and unafraid.

“Almost done,” Isaac called out, though it was unclear who the comment was directed to.

Stiles shifted his body a bit when Boyd retracted his arms. Lifting his head to glance back at the pair as Isaac tucked the end of the bandage into itself and sent him a smirk. “All done.” The blonde's gaze went back to Derek. Waiting to see what the Alpha would do now that Stiles injuries were as taken care of as they could be. Derek continued to absorb the boy's pain for a few more minutes before steadily letting the boy's body take its own discomfort back in a far more diluted manner than before. Stiles only tensed minutely, no doubt adjusting to the aches and pains in his body before stilling. Derek watched the wolf carefully before like his Beta’s gave a small sigh of relief. Stiles shifted a bit, kicking out his back legs and tucking his tail around them before laying his head back down on his front legs. 

“Isaac get in here!” Erica’s stressed voice called from the kitchen. The blonde snorted sending an amused look towards Boyd. The other Beta smirked. They all knew that Erica was crap in the kitchen.

“How can she screw up hamburger?”

“SHUT UP AND GET IN HERE!”

Stiles' ears came alert before he let out a huff. Derek shook his head at the girl's stressed tone. “Go.” He jerked his thumb to the Beta’s. Isaac sighed as he climbed to his feet and headed into the kitchen. Boyd stoutly remained behind, his eyes locked onto the form of the wolf. Derek didn’t comment on his fascination with Stiles' transformation, he was still reeling himself from the sight. 

“How did this happen?” The normally silent teen asked.

Stiles twisted his head around to snort at him.

“Scott’s an idiot.” Derek summarized.

Stiles nodded his head, causing both Derek and Boyd to smirk.

“What’d he do?”

“He read something from a book that Stiles shouldn’t have had in the first place.” The Alpha pointed out, Stiles twisted his head back around to lift his lips and expose his teeth. “You shouldn’t have had it,” Derek replied firmly, not giving up his stance on what had caused this whole thing in the first place.

Boyd glanced between the two a moment before rising to his feet to wander into the kitchen. Leaving Derek alone with Stiles for the first time since their impromptu walk in the forest. Derek glared back at the teen who continued to bare his teeth. “You're going to get stuck like that.” Stiles snorted even as he lowered his lips. Derek faintly smirked when the teen gave into his taunt and let go of his display of aggression. “When you’re back to normal...You’re going to have to explain all of that.”

Stiles huffed and rolled his eyes as if to say ‘duh’. Derek glanced over his shoulder when he heard Isaac shout back ‘he bought it from eBay.’

Stiles snorted, giving Derek a putout look when the Alpha turned back around. Frowning a moment as if deep in thought, Derek suddenly reached out. Stiles tilted his head as he watched the wolf's hand come closer to him. Perplexed by what the Alpha might be trying to do until the man’s hand settled on his head. Fingers sifting through the fur there, Stiles ducked his head down letting out a small pleased noise at the touch. Derek pulled his hand back before he got carried away, inwardly rebuking himself for giving in to the temptation to touch the wolf. Stiles' head jerked back up and he let out a bark, causing Derek to scowl.

“What was that?” A voice rang from the kitchen.

“Nothing.” He growled back all the while glaring at Stiles when the wolf snorted back at him, clearly calling him a liar. “Shut up.” Stiles glared back at him, Derek ignored his distaste for him stopping touching him. It was only a matter of minutes before the other wolves trailed out of the kitchen, Boyd carrying a plate with the aforementioned hamburger. The trio sat down around the wolf and their Alpha. Stiles lifted his head to stare down at the meat. Some were raw and some were cooked.

“We weren’t really sure if you could eat it raw or not,” Isaac admitted with an embarrassed look. 

Stiles leaned over to sniff at the raw meat, making the wolves wait anxiously to see if he’d even try it. The wolf’s teeth came into play as he snatched up a patty and effortlessly chewed and swallowed.

“Well, I guess that settles that,” Erica said with a smirk.

Stiles snatched up a cooked one next and seemed just as pleased by it as the raw one. Derek watched the teen eat a moment before he found himself admitting. “My mother and sister didn’t have any problems with raw meat either.”

The pack turned as one force surprised by the Alpha’s admission about his family. Stiles lifted his head to stare back at the Alpha, Derek frowned as if he was just coming to realize what he’d said. The group watched on in silence as the man rose to his feet and left them to go up the stairs to his bedroom. 

Sighing Erica muttered into the silent room. “Well then.” The others glanced towards the girl who’s normal cocky expression was gone. “Well go on then, eat.” She motioned towards the food that they’d brought the teen. Stiles twisted his head back around to the plate and with a huff returned to his food. It was eerily silent in the loft, the only noise that of Stiles munching on the offered meal.

*******

Derek lay on his back on his bed, arm slung over his eyes. How stupid of him to say something like that, why? Of course, his pack knew that his sister had been able to turn into a wolf, Stiles and Scott knew well enough seeing as they’d witnessed the aftermath of what Peter had done to her. Having dug up half of Laura’s corpse themselves, but it was different to be talking about his family when it wasn’t asked of him. The memories of his mother and sister in their wolf forms were...A treasured memory. The only real bitterness he felt towards it was the last time he’d seen Laura as the wolf. When she’d been butchered by Peter. Derek clenched his teeth, his hands coiling into tightened fists. He missed them. Both of them, but especially Laura. They’d survived together, left Beacon hills, and made somewhat of a new life for themselves. Now she was gone and he was alone...An Alpha with a miss-matched pack of teens who didn’t understand things the way his family had. They were bitten wolves and some things just couldn’t be taught, he found himself missing the subtleties of his life with his family and Laura. Stiles's new form was a constant reminder of something that had been so comforting to him and Derek hated it. A part of him hating the boy for meddling once again in things he shouldn’t have gotten into, for managing to take a form like that. 

*********

The pack was quiet, well aware that if they spoke about the awkward escape of their Alpha that said Alpha would hear them. So they settled for sending confused glances each other's way, up until the moment Stiles unanimously decided they were being stupid. The wolf shifted on the blankets a moment, barely getting their attention. Then all in one movement the wolf rose to his feet, startling the pack. 

Isaac reaching out frantically. “Lay back down.” 

His attempts to get Stiles to listen were useless as the wolf snorted and walked away. Head up high once more, alert, and aware of his surroundings. The Beta’s could only watch on as Stiles began to walk around the loft, curiously sniffing at things. Tail trailing the ground everywhere he went. 

Erica stumbled to her feet and quickly caught up to Stiles, smirking as he looked up at her before disregarding her entirely. Putting her hands on her hips the girl huffed. “That’s no way to greet a lady.” Stiles looked back up at her and bared his teeth, Erica smirked. “Better.”

Stiles huffed out a deep breath and pushed past her, sniffing at the table and chairs that they tended to use when figuring out what the latest supernatural asshole was to come to town. He caught all of their scents there. Derek, Scott, Erica, Boyd, Isaac, and Peter. The last had his hackles raising. The Beta’s all shifted nervously, confused as to what had set the boy off. 

Erica ever the brave one stepped forward to see what Stiles was scenting that had pissed him off. She carefully sniffed the air before chuckling. “Yeah, I get it.” Stiles canted his head up at her and she smirked. “Trust me, we get it.”

Stiles gave a small huff before moving on. Isaac and Boyd caught up to her sending curious glances her way. She motioned toward the chair in explanation and then moved on to follow Stiles around the loft. Isaac and Boyd glanced at the chair in confusion until Boyd sighed and nudged Isaac. Mouthing the wolf’s name, Isaac’s eyes widened before his head cantered round to watch Stiles. The teen hadn’t liked the smell of Peter, no doubt because the wolf wasn’t really trusted by the pack in general. Though he supposed the bigger picture for Stiles would have been Peter biting Scott and the whole debacle with Lydia. Boyd quickly tired of the follow Stiles game and settled down on the nearby couch, Isaac watched Erica trail, Stiles, a few more seconds before joining him. For whatever reason Erica was enamored with Stiles' new form and was following him about, watching what he was doing. The wolf didn’t seem to care one way or another so long as she didn’t get in the way of his exploring. She had laughed when he growled at her for stepping into his path, moving aside only when the fangs came out. 

Derek still hadn’t reappeared from his bedroom, which left the betas in charge of Stiles. Namely keeping his destructive tendencies to a minimum and not allowing him to escape the loft. Easy enough. In theory. Stiles quickly tired of his exploring the loft, having scented the majority of the space. Erica ever on his heel was quickly annoying him and once he was through scenting the latest object did he turn and snap at her. 

She took a hasty step back a wry grin on her face. “What’s got your tail in a tizzy?”

Stiles growled back at her.

“Erica leave him alone,” Isaac muttered from where he and Boyd were watching the pair.

Erica sent him an amused look towards her packmates. “He’s always annoying us.” She claimed fairly. “And this is our den, not his. He’s not a part of the pack-” Her choice in words were ultimately her downfall. Literally. She grunted as she was taken to the ground by Stiles's large form. The wolf looming over her with teeth bared. Erica flashed her own eyes and teeth before laughing at the threat. Stiles snapped down at her, not finding any of this amusing.

“Erica!” Boyd raised his voice.

The teen ignored the callings of her packmates, having too much fun with Stiles. The wolf was baring his teeth at her but had yet to actually make a move to hurt her.

“All those teeth and yet your still all bark.” She crowed. “Suppose it makes sense, you always were one for talking.”

Stiles snarl was deep as he snapped at her again, spittle flying as his fangs were bared. She smirked back at him only to let out a startled cry of pain when Stiles had taken enough of her cocky attitude and stopped ‘talking’, the wolf lunged forward and sank his teeth into her shoulder, this time biting down. Hard.

“ERICA!”

Isaac and Boyd were to their feet in an instant, sending the couch sliding back in their haste to get to their packmate. Isaac slid behind the girl giving Stiles a pleading look even as he crunched down on the girl's shoulder. Boyd held her hand back refusing to allow his girlfriend to hurt he wolf even as he clenched down on her causing Erica to curse.

“Let her go.” Isaac gave the boy a beseeching look. “She won’t bother you again Stiles. Let her go.” Stiles snarled around the girl's shoulder glaring back at the blonde. Isaac nodded. “I know. She pissed you off, but-but we don’t bite each other... We don’t hurt pack.”

Stiles brow which had been tightened, pushed up into a snarl lessened some at the blonde's words. Isaac smirked when he caught onto the sudden shift in Stiles’ behavior and how it was attached to Erica’s earlier taunting. “Your pack.” Stiles continued to stare back at the blonde unsure if the boy meant it or was just trying to get him to release the girl. Isaac wasn’t sure if Stile was willing to release Erica even if he did believe him.

“Stiles.”

All their heads, minus Stiles. Craned towards the stairs where Derek was coming down in a slow manner. Not in the least bit hurried despite the sight before him. “We don’t hurt pack.” His voice was firm.

Stiles growled around the girl's shoulder, clenching his jaw a bit and earning a whimper from Erica.

“Stiles,” Derek called out sharply.

The wolf’s eyes stayed on the Alpha, watching as Derek flared his eyes for only a moment. “Let her go.”

Erica whined only to wince as Stiles unclamped his jaw and slowly pulled back from her. Blood dripping from his teeth as he did so, he was still locked onto Derek. 

The Alpha nodded in approval when Stiles listened, seeing how displaced the wolf was and how on guard he was when Erica shifted on the floor Derek called out. “Come here.”

Stiles glanced back down to Erica who was grimacing up at him. He snarled before lopping off away from her towards Derek.

“Take Erica into the bathroom and clean her up.”

Boyd nodded and with Isaac’s help got the girl up to her feet despite her many curses. Derek watched them go, his eyes trailing back to Stiles once they were gone. The wolf was a few feet back from him, eyes firmly latched onto him.

“Don’t do that again.” 

Stiles lifted his lip at the man’s warning. Derek didn’t take it as the threat it was even as he spoke once more. “We don’t hurt pack.” He reminded the teen. Stiles snorted at him, turning away from Derek to walk slowly towards the opposing wall. Laying down he tucked his tail around him only to settle his head on top of his front paws. Staring out the large window of the loft. Derek frowned at the boy's behavior, but couldn’t be bothered to continue thinking about it as his phone suddenly went off. Sighing he fished it out of his pocket and answered albeit a little relieved upon seeing who it was calling him.

“Deaton, what is it?”

“I believe I found a problem.”

“Found?” Derek grit back, that was not what he’d been hoping to hear from the druid.

“Yes, apparently this spell was meant as a guide of sorts.” Derek scowled down at the floor, even as he waited for the druid to continue. “There is a goal in these types of magics, of course, and it seems that if Stiles doesn’t finish this...Quest for lack of a better word he will be stuck as he is now.”

Derek’s eyes ratcheted onto the wolf sitting in the corner. “What do we do?”

“That is entirely up to Stiles.”

“What does that mean?!” Stiles's ears perked up at his raised tone, the wolf turned to glance his way but Derek refused to meet the wolf's piercing blue eyes. Derek heard Deaton sigh.

“It means that the guide this spell was meant to provoke was an internal one, to find something that is missing in the subject's normal life. To find peace if you will.”

“And what? If he doesn’t then-”

“Then he stays the wolf that he is now.”

Derek growled under his breath as he began to pace, this was so much more complicated than he’d expected to hear. Most magics could be dealt with in some capacity, Derek knew that much but he also knew of more dangerous aspects and it would appear that Stiles managed to get himself wrapped up into one. “So how do we...Figure out what he needs to resolve? How does he resolve it?”

“That is the hard part, he cannot speak to you as he is now and I doubt he would even recognize what he is so hesitant to acknowledge in himself.” Deaton paused a moment and Derek could hear the turning of a page in a book. “The lack of transforming back into his human form is a concern.-”

“You think?!” Derek snapped at the stupid statement.

“However.” Deaton continued. “However the consequences of him failing this quest are far worse.”

Derek stopped his pacing. “What consequences?”

Stiles had lifted his head to stare back at him curiously, no doubt confused as to what had Derek in such a state. The Alpha didn’t bother to pay attention to the wolf at this moment, all of his attention on the phone in his hands.

“Should he not find peace with this internal struggle of his he will remain the wolf, he’ll lose himself to that change Derek. He’ll become that wolf.”

“Become-”

“He won’t be human anymore. He will be a wild animal.”

Derek’s eyes ratcheted up to the teen staring back at him in the eyes of a wolf. “How do we tell?”

“Tell?”

“If things are...If he’s doing that?”

“Losing himself? Well, I would think if he started acting like a wolf would be a larger hint.” Deaton mused. “Has he acted out of the ordinary?”

Derek couldn’t help but mutter to himself internally ‘he’s biting people so there’s that.’ “Yes.”

“Hmm...I’m unsure how long this magic is supposed to last. If he’s already starting to fall into the animal instincts of his new form then we are running out of time.”

“It’s only been three hours.”

Deaton sighed from across the line. “Yes...Well, I’m afraid it’s been a bit longer than that.”

Derek frowned. “What no it-” Growling when he caught on he shouted over towards Stiles. “You’ve been like this for hours?!”

The wolf bared its teeth back at him.

“From what I was able to ascertain from Scott. Since the previous night.”

Derek snarled when he heard the truth. “Seriously?! Last night?” He sent another scathing glare towards the wolf who was growling back at him.

“Yes. Which would make his devolving state make sense...To my knowledge, similar rituals that have taken place in indigenous tribes were only meant to last twelve hours or so...Stiles is encroaching on that limit.”

“Tell Scott to stay there.” Derek grit out threw clenched teeth that felt far more elongated than usual. “Because if I see him right now I’ll kill him myself.”

“Yes, I am sure that it would be best for everyone that there is no further bloodshed.”

“Stiles bit me on the way here and bit Erica just a minute ago because she was pissing him off.”

“I see, this provical nature to harm others isn’t a good sign.”

“You think!”

“Derek.” Deaton sighed. “I cannot help you if you won’t listen.”

“Then tell me something useful!” The wolf snarled.

“Talk to him, try and figure out what he was thinking when the spell turned him into the wolf. His form is subjective.”

Derek blinked, frowned, and then looked over to the wolf which was baring narrowed eyes in his direction. “Subjective...He chose it?”

“More or less.”

Derek stared back at the wolf who had his lips raised to bare his teeth in a snarl. Derek watched him closely a moment, confused as to why the boy would choose a wolf for any other reason than perhaps jealousy. Scott was a wolf and with the two being so close to one another, it made sense that Stiles would want to be a wolf too. Yet the boy had never once asked for the bite...Then again, Stiles was smart enough to know how that request would go with Derek.

“I’ll figure it out. What happens if we-”

“Should he come to peace the spell will break and he’ll return to his human form as he'll have performed the necessary requirements of the spell.”

“Fine.” Derek grit out. “Keep the sheriff off my back while I fix this.” Without another word to the druid Derek hung up, sighing as he rubbed his head. “Damn it.” Looking across the loft to Stiles who was glaring back at him, the Alpha slowly approached. “Deaton thinks he figured out what this is.”

The wolf's snarl was slow to dissipate, but it did in fact leave. Stiles tilted his head in curiosity, an action that relieved some of the growing fear in Derek’s gut. That was a movement he was all too aware of, the boy's curiosity. 

“He said this is meant to be some kind of inner quest thing, to make peace with something you felt your missing.” Stiles snorted earning him a smirk from the Alpha, even Derek was aware of how hoaky this whole thing sounded, but magic could be that way. “You have to figure out what it is that your struggling with, once you come to peace about it you’ll change back.” Stiles glared up at the Alpha, clearly not amused by the order. “Just try.” Derek grit out. He didn’t want to explain to the teen about the consequences of him failing, that would just put undue stress on the boy. If there was one thing he knew it was that adding stress to someone like Stiles would be a bad thing. The boy could barely focus on any given day and today it mattered most. It would be best not to distract him with the looming threat of turning into a wolf for good.

Stiles huffed, closing his eyes for one reason or another. Only a few minutes passed before the wolf opened his eyes to glare back at the Alpha as if to say ‘I tried’. 

“You have to keep trying, there has to be something that...That made you choose this form. Deaton said it’s subjective.” Swallowing nervously Derek asked. “Is-Does this have to do with Scott?” Stiles tilted his head. “He’s a werewolf.” Stiles snorted back at the obvious statement, Derek rubbed the back of his neck. “Aren’t y- He never got to finish his sentence before both of their heads swiveled towards the window. The sound of a car pulling up alerting them to the fact that they were about to have company. Derek scowled before cursing upon recognizing the vehicle, rising to his feet he glanced down to Stiles. “Stay here.”

Stiles snorted back at him, never moving from his spot in the corner. Derek jogged towards the loft door, casting one last glance towards the wolf before calling out. “Keep Stiles inside.”

Isaac was the one to run down the hall, nodding he turned his attention towards the wolf who was lounging in the corner. Both ignored the sound of the loft door shutting behind Derek. Stiles huffed as he laid his head back down on his paws. The blonde made his way towards the wolf's corner, sitting down against the window.

“So...Mind quest huh?” Stiles snorted. “Thought those were supposed to happen when you were asleep.” Stiles seemed to agree if his small nod was anything to go by. “Your not asleep.” Stiles gave the teen a solid glare for that. “I think you're screwing this up a bit.” Stiles snorted. “Just saying...Your not even sleepwalking.” 

The wolf raised its head once more and shook its fur out a bit. Rising it came forward to crash its head into Isaac. The blonde winced at the blow only to smirk when the wolf rubbed its head gently across him the second time around.

“You're scenting me.” Stiles stilled, glancing back to the blonde he’d been rubbing against. Isaac smirked. “We do that all the time you know. The pack I mean.” Stiles tilted his head as he plopped down on his butt in front of the teen clearly waiting to hear more. “It’s a way to form pack bonds. We...Smell like each other that way. It’s comforting.”

Stiles leaned forward sniffing at Isaac, the blonde chuckled and playfully shoved the wolf's muzzle aside. Stiles wagged his tail back at him.

“Scott does it to you.” Stiles tilted his head curiously. “He does,” Isaac assured the other teen. “Though you probably didn’t realize that.” The wolf shook its head. “Here let me show you.” Isaac leaned forward and grabbed the back of the wolf's neck, Stiles growled. “No, listen. Anytime he puts his hand or face near your neck he’s scenting you. A hug can even do in a pinch.” Isaac pulled back with a smirk. “And we all know you two hug a lot.”

Stiles huffed, Isaac grinned only to look over his shoulder. Stiles twisted about to see Boyd and Erica standing in the entranceway of the hallway. Erica was healed, but there was blood staining her top. Stiles glared back at her, his lip raising even as a dark growl began to form.

“I’m sorry.” She hastily stated in remorse.

Stiles snorted back at her only to flop onto his side and get a surprising oomph from Isaac when the wolf decided that the teen’s lap was where his head would go, the blonde glared down at him before giving in and sifting his fingers through the wolves hair. 

“You could have just asked ya know.” Stiles wagged his tail back at the blonde, letting his tongue hang out of his mouth. Isaac rolled his eyes. “Your acting like an overgrown puppy.”

Stiles didn’t seem to care, he only moved when he heard movement. Erica and Boyd had come closer, unsure of whether or not they’d be welcome. Stiles seemed hesitant to allow Erica into his space but didn’t growl at her. When the pair came to kneel, did Stiles stretch out his head to sniff at them. 

Erica gave a small smile. “Sorry.” She apologized again.

Stiles snorted back at her as he flipped his head towards Boyd to sniff the larger teen. Boyd cautiously reached out and was surprised when Stiles snapped at his fingers. Isaac frowned, unsure what to do about the teen's apparent hostility towards his packmates. Stiles solved it for him though by rolling onto his stomach and coming forward to crash his head into Boyd, the teen grunted from the blow but caught himself before he could fall over. Stiles walked behind Erica causing the girl to tense in preparation for another attack, which never came. Stiles circled her only nudge her arm out of the way and crane his head up under her own snuffling her. Erica laughed as she reached out to gently push Stiles's head away, petting the top of his head. Stiles rolled over onto his back, tail wagging at the trio.

The sound of the loft door opening caught all of their attention, Stiles rolled over onto this belly to stare over at the door as it swung open with a large clang. The pleasant atmosphere that had been sparked by the group sitting together evaporated in an instant. Stiles hackles raised, his teeth were bared as his ears were plastered back against his skull all while he snarled at the intruder.

Peter Hale grinned back at him. “My my what a sight you are.”

  
  



	4. You chose wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter pays the pack a visit and lets them in on a little secret.

Stiles was off like a shot, lunging for the man. Stiles skidded when the man stepped aside like a matador to a bull, but the teen didn’t stop in his assault. Ultimately getting the upper hand when one of the Beta’s shouted at Peter to leave and earned the man’s attention for an iota of time. Stiles took Peter down but was prevented from biting the man by the older man’s ability to get his arms up. Locking the wolf's jaw shut from underneath. Stiles could snap, just not at Peter. 

Laughing at the enraged teen, Peter couldn’t help but comment. “You seem to have forgotten who you’re dealing with Stiles. I’m not about to let some rabid wolf bite me.” He chuckled.

Stiles twisted this way and that in an attempt to get a hold of the man, but Peter countered him at every turn. Their bodies locked in a battle of wills and teeth. Derek’s Beta’s had let out surprised noises at the sudden attack by Stiles, scrambling to their feet to race over towards the door. They kept their distance from the battling pair, Stiles claws were scraping up Peter only to heal a moment later. The blue-eyed Beta was still laughing as the wolf fought to maim or kill him. It was as the struggle went on that Peter's eyes caught onto the bandages wrapped around the snarling wolf and with a feral grin Peter held the wolf's head at bay with one hand while the other shot out to crash into the wolfs side. Stiles yelped sharply only to be tossed aside as Peter rolled quickly to his feet, grinning down at the wolf who was whimpering.

“Peter he’s hurt.” Isaac came forward only to have the older man roll his eyes.

“Yes I can see that for myself and I have no qualms using that injury against him. Unlike you.” He glanced at all of them and the various state of disrepair they were in. “I have no desire to be chewed on.” His feral like grin turned back to the wolf who was beginning to get its bearings once more. Stiles snarled weakly at him, Peter mused. “Quite fitting don’t you think?”

Stiles snapped at the Beta, but Peter just grinned back at the display. The sounds of the elevator coming back to the loft floor had Erica leering back at Peter. “What’d you do to Derek?”

Peter smirked as it just now crossed the teen’s mind to ask about her Alpha. “I did nothing to your dear Alpha, simply beat him to the floor.” Derek’s Beta’s glared back at the man, not believing him in the least. He chuckled. “Come now if I had managed to off my dear nephew don’t you think I would have already cut all of you down by now? There is no love lost between us after all.”

Stiles snarled, lunging at the wolf once more. Peter swiftly turned aside allowing Stiles to tumble aside, chuckling Peter muttered. “I always did say you’d make a beautiful wolf, shame you didn’t tak-”

The loft door swung open, Derek growled his eyes flashing at Peter.

“Ah, nephew. How nice of you to join us. We were just talking about Stiles and his new form. Quite fitting when you think about it how he-.”

“Get out,” Derek growled.

“Come now surely you could use my expertise in such things, you and your errant pups aren’t a match for such complicated magics as this.” The Beta waved a hand towards the snapping wolf even as he dodged another attack.

“Get out.” Derek took a step forward advancing on his uncle. 

Peter sighed in a bored fashion. “Fine, if you wish for the boy to stay as he is, by all means, I’ll leave.” That had Derek pausing. Peter gave a feral grin when he caught the action. “Something wrong nephew?” Derek gritted his teeth. “Perhaps Deaton made you aware of what will happen if you don’t find a way to end whatever spell has befallen our dear friend here?”

Stiles growled taking a single step forward, fully prepared to attack the Beta again. His previous failings meant nothing in the face of getting a chance to bite the bastard.

“Stiles.” Derek cautioned the wolf. “Don’t.” As much as he loathed to admit it, if Peter did know something about all of this then they needed the information. Which coincidentally meant they had to put up with his uncle.

“Yes listen to your alp-AH.” Stiles lunged as Peter turned, but unlike before he didn’t go for the throat as Peter was expecting him to. The solid crunch of the wolf's teeth piercing the man’s leg, breaking the bone all in one go. Peter fell to the ground in a meaty thump, cursing as the pain radiated up his broken leg. Stiles whipped his head back and forth to cause more damage, Peter cursed his Beta shift falling over him like water as he made to lash out at the wolf. Claws extended as he let out a growl of his own.

Derek’s roar stopped everything. Peter’s shift fell away without his consent, leaving the Beta open to attack by the wolf still grappling his leg. Stiles still had a death-defying hold on the Beta’s leg, his teeth still embedded as far as they could go even as he paused mauling the man upon hearing Derek’s roar. His grasp on Peter was preventing the wolf from healing, his blue eyes locked onto Derek’s own red. 

Derek snarled down at Peter, letting Stiles keep his grasp on Peter and ignoring the not so subtle clenching of the wolf's jaws that clearly sparked pain in Peter. “Tell us what you know.”

Peter gritted his teeth against the pain increasing as Stiles clenched his teeth down. “Damn it. Derek, I assure you I kno-OW.” He glared down at Stiles. “Nothing.” He finished with a deep breath.

“That was a lie.”

Stiles bit down and shook his head when Derek said as much, causing Peter to be jerked around a bit. Spitting out curses as he was forced to deal with the pain the wolf was granting him.

“What. Do. You. Know.” Derek crouched down a few feet away from his uncle and the thrashing form of Stiles. Peter was gritting his teeth, baring his fangs at the Alpha as he spat out.

“Call off your mutt.”

Derek glared back at him. “Stiles.” The wolf stopped his thrashing but didn’t release the man’s leg. Derek raised a brow at his uncle, prepared to use this as their medium of interrogation. Peter glared back.

“I would prefer his teeth not be lodged in my Tibia nephew.”

“And I’d prefer you to stop stalling.” Derek shot back with an equal amount of menace in his voice.

Peter grinned. “So true.” He winced when Stiles bit down. Sending a glare towards the growling wolf, Peter muttered. “You should have taken the chance you know.” Peter grimaced as Stiles shook his head once more, jerking the man’s broken leg a few times before falling still when Derek called his name.

“What do you mean?” Derek was focused solely on what his uncle was saying, leaving Stiles torment of the man’s leg to the wolf so long as he wasn’t distracting Peter from answering.

Peter glared back at his nephew. “I suppose the boy never told you then?”

“Told me what?!”

Peter smirked, chuckling as Derek confirmed his suspicions. “I see not.” Glancing back down to the growling wolf, Peter hummed. “I wonder why that is. Did you perhaps believe that Derek would sooner rip out your thro-ACH.” Peter snarled as his leg jerked back and forth a few times. Panting Peter caught his breath only to laugh. “Oh, that is it isn’t it? Too afraid to admit to it that you wanted it, too afraid to let them all know what you nearly did. You realized what an opportunity you passed up and now you regret it don’t you?” Peter laughed at the snarling wolf.

Derek glared at his laughing uncle, he and the pack were missing something. Sending Stiles a frown the Alpha asked. “What didn’t you tell me?” The wolf’s blue eyes latched onto his own, his ears falling back. “Stiles this could have to do with-”

“OH, it has everything to do with his transformation nephew.” Peter gave a salacious grin towards Stiles. “Magic is a fickle thing, after all, it takes into consideration what one wants most.” He sneered.

“What are you talking about?” Erica glared. “What didn’t Stiles tell us?”

Peter snorted back at the girl. “Are you really so shocked that he would keep secrets from you all? It’s only been a few months since you’d tolerate his presence.” Erica glared alongside her fellow pack mates. “Oh strike a nerve did I? Shame that you’re the ones who chose to show a united front...Without him or Scott. Scott was my Beta first, it seems only logical that Derek wouldn’t accept him into his pack.” He grinned.

Derek growled at his uncles taunting, there was more to that than just the fact that Scott had been Peter's Beta. “He didn’t want to join.”

Peter rolled his eyes at the pathetic excuse. “Please, you take me for a fool? He didn’t wish to join because you wouldn’t accept Stiles into your merry band of misfits.” He waved his hand towards the man’s Betas. “Unlike some, those two have loyalty towards their family.” Peter grinned only to gasp as Stiles thrashed his leg, the distinct sound of a bone-breaking being heard just as Peter cursed.

Erica smirked. “I don’t think Stiles agrees with you.”

Peter shot her a glare, baring his teeth at the girl. Stiles gnashed his teeth, clamping down tightly only to shake his head violently. Jerking Peter’s leg around and jostling the man’s body on a whole. Derek snorted back at his uncle's pained face. “He can hear you.” Derek took some pleasure in grinning at the man.

Peter glared back at his nephew. “Obviously.” He muttered through gritted teeth. “Doesn’t change the fact that he has no place here, neither does Scott. You tolerate them as you tolerate me. A plague you can’t quite be rid of.” Peter grinned. “They are too close to be strangers, Omega’s, and yet they aren’t pack now are they?”

Derek scowled back at his grinning uncle quickly trying to defend himself and his pack. “We’ve worked toge-”

“You’ve worked together? Really, Derek, I’m ashamed of you. You call using them as bait working together? Using them for research only to ‘forget’ to inform them of what’s going on?” Peter snorted, shaking his head idly while calling Derek out. “Even they aren’t fools enough to believe that.” The Beta sent a pointed look down at Stiles. “Why you wouldn’t even think of considering to accept such a gift is beyond me, you were so repulsed by the notion and now you can’t hope to live witho-OW-”

Stiles snarled clamping down, grinding his teeth down to the bone. Thrashing his head from side to side and sending blood spattering against the floor as his teeth tore gnarled wounds into Peter’s leg. Peter attempted to shift once more in an effort to fight back only to have Derek growl at him, an Alpha’s order clear in his tone.

“Stay still.”

Peter grimaced as he was once more forced to tolerate whatever pain Stiles chose to give him. It was Isaac who surprised them all by gasping.

“The bite...You offered him the bite when you were the Alpha.”

Derek’s head snapped up, causing his neck to crack. “What?”

Peter laughed as if he was in on the funniest joke ever. “And to think I once thought you too broken to fix.”

Isaac glared down at the man. “You offered Stiles the bite and he refused.”

“Why yes, he did.” 

Derek growled, all at once outraged to find out about this. That Peter had the audacity to consider making more Beta’s, that he thought to add Stiles to his pack. “When did you do that?”

Peter snorted at the trivial question. “Does it really matter? He said no, of course, he was lying at the time.” He grinned down at Stiles only to grimace as Stiles thrashed his leg.

“He wouldn’t take the bite from you because you were insane,” Erica stated proudly, smirking back at the older Beta. “Stiles wasn’t going to let some rat-like you control him.”

Peter snarled at the pain only to glare up at the girl. “Ha, that wasn’t the least bit the point sweetie. His idealistic notion of not wanting to be like me was a larger part of his decision, but I think it was the thought of being unable to help Scott that drove him to say no.” Looking down at the wolf the maniac grin came across his face. “After all being the token human has more benefit to your little wolf friend than joining him in a pack OR so you thought. So self-sacrificing and look where it's gotten you.”

Stiles snarled his head coming up as his fangs released the man’s leg just as he lunged for Peter’s throat. Peter was smart enough to throw up an arm that met a similar fate as his leg as Stiles clamped down and thrashed until the breaking of bones was heard in the loft. Peter despite the pain laughed.

“Yes, you’re quite mad at yourself now aren’t you? Take it out on me when your the one that chose to remain a weak pitiful human all in a vain attempt to be useful somehow. Now you and your reject of a friend are packless and alone.”

“Peter,” Derek growled. “Stop.”

The man snorted at his nephew's sensibilities. “Please, it’s nothing he hasn’t thought about I assure you.”

Derek flashed his eyes at his uncle, his teeth elongating. “I said stop.” The Alpha order had Peter clamping his mouth shut with an audible click of his teeth. The man glared back at his nephew now that he wasn’t able to talk for the next few minutes. Instead forced to groan and glare as Stiles thrashed his arm about.

“Stiles.” The wolf growled as he shook his head doing its best to inflict more pain onto the Beta who had said mocking words. “Stiles.” Derek reached out only to wince when Stiles continued to bite down, his large teeth nearly piercing through his uncle's arm as they repeatedly released only to snap down again. Creating a bloody mess of the man’s arm. “Stiles stop.” His hand finally got purchase on the wolf. Stiles fell still in an instant, his blue eyes fiery as he growled up at Derek even while holding Peter’s arm hostage.

“Stop.” Derek nodded to the blazing eyes, trying to regain control over the wolf before things got too out of hand. Letting Stiles maim Peter had been fine at first, helpful for answers while allowing Stiles to take out some of his rage on the wolf but it was clear that Peter’s egging had driven the wolf, the teen up a wall. “He-Peter’s wrong.” The wolf growled. “You and Scott are a part of this pack...Just not in a conventional sense...If you weren’t a part of the pack Scott would be an Omega by now.” Derek nodded when the wolf tilted its head a bit, dragging Peter’s arm along for the ride. “You’re connected to the pack.” 

Peter rolled his eyes at his nephew's attempts to calm the wolf but was ignored as Stiles continued to stare back at Derek.

“You’re a part of this pack no matter if your human or wolf. Peter didn’t tell you.” He sent a scathing look towards his uncle as if his glare would matter to the smirking man. “Our pack...The Hale pack had human’s in our family.” His eyes came back to Stiles' own. “Our human family wasn’t weak.” Derek declared firmly towards the wolf. “They were just as much a part of the pack as the wolves.”

Peter snorted gaining everyone’s attention. He cracked his jaw before giving a wide serpentine grin. “All the powers of an Alpha and this is what you make of it? How annoying.” He sent a glare towards Derek. “Do you really expect him to believe that drivel? That he’s better off as a human? Breakable, fragile, and all too easily killed. He runs with wolves despite not being one, it’s only a matter of time before something kills him.” Derek growled back at his uncle, his Beta’s issuing their own displeased growls. Peter grinned at the discord he'd caused. “You truly don’t get it do you nephew? He had his chance, he chose to remain as he was, a weak human. He lied to himself and called it truth despite my own attempts to make him see sense, to see what he was giving up all for the sake of another.” Peter’s eyes sought out Stiles mercilessly calling on the boy to answer him. “Tell me, does your dear friend Scott know that you refused the bite for him? What would he think of you wanting it now? We both know he hasn’t truly excepted his place as a wolf. That’s part of the problem, after all, he’s too obstinate to realize that he needs Derek and his pack. He’s too caught up being human, too caught up in keeping his own pet human.” He spat out the last sentence. “You would have made a far better wolf than he, a shame it wasn’t you who was left in those woods that night,” Stiles growled around the man’s arm, his teeth crunching down on the wolfs bones. Peter grimaced before bitterly remarking. “Yes well punish me all you like Stiles, at least I’m honest about what I am. If you had been the same you might not be what you are now.”

“Let him go Stiles.”

The wolf’s eyes zeroed in on Derek, the growl there was telling, Stiles didn’t want to do that. That he felt robbed of whatever his maiming of Peter was giving him, Derek shook his head and clarified for the teen. “I don’t want to hurt you when I throw his ass out.”

Peter laughed at the pathetic threat that was issued in his direction. “Yes dispatch of me as you will, I’m sure that will solve all of the boy's problems. We can’t all be like you, after all, you always were one to run from your own kind.” Peter couldn’t help but point out. Derek growled back at his uncle, his eyes flashing red in a warning. Peter smirked unhindered by such a thing. “Tell me how long has he been a wolf, Derek?” The taunting edge of his uncle's voice had cold fear climbing up Derek’s spine. “Too long?” Peter glanced towards the icy blue eyes of the wolf. “Did Derek perchance tell you anything about this spectacular type of magic you find yourself the victim of? That of the many outcomes of such magic results in permanent transformations. That you could remain a wolf, but not just any wolf." Peter shook his head while wearing a feral grin. "No. You would become the wolf, nothing left of you to speak of.” Peter stuck out his lip as if he was pouting, but the grin that formed soon after was all teeth. “You're losing yourself already aren’t you? That’s why you bit them.” He waved his free arm toward the Beta’s and then towards Derek. “Isn’t that right? The magic which granted you this grand form is already tearing you apart from the inside and soon you won’t be anything but a feral animal.”

Stiles jaw unhinged from Peter’s arm so fast it was surprising he didn’t tear the man’s flesh apart as his teeth jerked free. He backpedaled away from the group, tail between his legs. Peter laughed. “Oh, he didn’t did he? How long do you think you have? Not long would be my gues-”

Peter was slammed into the floor by Derek’s fist, the older wolf grimaced as he reached up and rubbed his face. Derek was panting above him, flaming red eyes blazing down at the other wolf. Peter’s own blue flashed in reply before he turned his head away to show a submission he hated to recognize.

“Get out.”

Peter huffed as he slowly sat up, glancing down at his leg which was slowly starting to heal. Wrong. “I’m afraid I can’t do that just yet, not unless one of you feels incline to reset my leg correctly.” He peered up at his nephew with a smirk.

Derek growled in warning only to smirk when Peter gave a shout after ate up the space between them reached over and snapped the man’s leg.

“All better?” Erica asked with a cruel grin.

Peter glared back at Derek’s Beta. “Perfect.” He growled out through clenched teeth. His eyes sought out the form of Stiles, the wolf having huddled back against the nearest wall. Smirking Peter slowly climbed to his feet, holding his still broken arm to his chest. “It’s been fun while it lasted Stiles. You should have taken my offer when you had the chance. Though I suppose you’ll still be a wolf in some manner of speaking.” Peter laughed even as Derek bodily threw him out of the loft, the man’s maniacal laughter echoing down the hallway. Derek slammed his fist into the loft door after slamming it closed behind his uncle. 

“Damn it.” He twisted around sharply when he heard Isaac say Stiles name. The wolf was huddled back against the wall, ears down and tail tucked between his legs.

“It’s okay man, we’ll figure this out.”

“No one would say anything about you telling Peter to piss off,” Erica interjected. “You could tell he was a psycho and knew better than to let him have any power over you.” She held firm in supporting Stiles' decision. “You made the right choice...Even if you wanted to be a wolf.”

Stiles' head came up slowly to stare at her. Boyd and Isaac nodded in agreement.

“She’s right,” Boyd replied calmly. “Peter is insane.”

Derek took a calming breath as he approached the group, staring down at the wolf his brow furrowed. “I’ll keep my promise Stiles if you want the bite I’ll give it to you.”

The wolf ducked its head down at the man’s words causing Derek to scowl. “But I still stand by what I said earlier. You don’t need it to be a part of this pack.”

“You’re already pack.” Isaac’s voice was far surer than it had been earlier in the day. Derek gave him an approving nod as he came to kneel a few feet away from Stiles. “Whatever is keeping you stuck like this, you need to let it go.” Stiles continued to stare at the floor despite the Alpha’s words. Derek found himself reaching out to card his fingers through the boy's fur, startling the wolf into looking up at him. For a few minutes that was all that happened, Stiles staring back quizzically at Derek while the Alpha carded his fingers through the wolf's fur in a soothing manner. Stiles let out a sigh as Derek’s fingers stroked his head gently, his ears no longer firmly plastered to his head.

Rising from his seated position, Stiles took the two steps it took to bridge the gap between them and tucked his head underneath Derek’s. Derek flinched, wary of having Stiles teeth so close to his throat, but when he felt the small breaths of the wolf and the gentle slide of its fur against his neck did he realize what Stiles was doing. Smirking he carded his fingers through the boy's scruff, Stiles head coming to rest on his shoulder once he was done scenting him. Stiles rubbed his head against the side of Derek’s head a few times before falling still once more. The Alpha continued to pet the wolf until he found his voice.

“Your pack.”

Stiles let out a small whine.

“You’ll be pack no matter what you choose.” Derek’s hand tightened on the boy's scruff as he spoke. “You don’t need to be a wolf to be a part of this pack. You can stay a noisy, clumsy, reckless human. Just let go of this wolf, it’s not you. It’s not what you want.” Derek held the wolf against himself though it took little effort with how Stiles was leaning against him, the wolf’s whole form radiated discontent as it hid away in the Alpha’s body. Light trembles leaving its body as it breathed out sharper pants against Derek’s neck.

“Listen to Derek.” Erica chimed in, surprising everyone as she came forward and knelt down to stroke the back of the wolf, it shuddered beneath her gentle hand. “It doesn’t matter if you’re still a loser, look at Scott being a wolf hasn’t improved him much.” Derek glared at the girl, but Erica smiled before adding. “Being a wolf and being in the pack isn’t something you should be turning yourself inside out for. None of us blame you about Peter.”

“Not even a little bit,” Isaac muttered before smiling at Derek when the Alpha shot him a look. “What? You know he’s crazy.”

Derek sighed, he did, but it was still painful to hear that his once-beloved uncle was really the one person that Derek couldn’t turn to. One that couldn’t be trusted with anything, let alone the power of being an Alpha. “Leave Peter out of this.” 

“Why?” Erica snubbed. “He’s the reason this is happening right?”

Derek glared at the blonde, not convinced about whether or not Peter was the exact reason for Stiles’ transformation. It didn’t really matter in Derek’s eyes, all that mattered was getting Stiles to turn back into a human before the magic that had turned him into a wolf became permanent. “Stiles, this is different than taking the bite from Peter, it’s not the same thing, so let go of whatever is keeping you like this.” Derek found himself pleading with the teen. “Change back, change back into a human...I can’t give the bite to a wolf Stiles and if you stay like this you'll lose yourself to the wolf. I’ll give you the bite, you can be a part of this pack but you have to let go. You have to change back first.”

Stiles let out a heavy breath, the closest to a sigh he’d given for a while, and just like that the wolf form slid from around the teen like a cloak from a person’s shoulders. There was no cracking of bones, no screaming, just a small shudder of the wolf's form, and then the fur gave way to flesh. Derek was just as surprised as his Beta’s, but he ignored their stunned gasps in favor of catching the boy as he fell against him. Lowering Stiles to the ground he turned the boy on his side and frantically looked him up and down before his eyes ratcheted up to Stiles face. Derek quickly grabbed a pale shoulder and began shaking the boy. “Stiles. Stiles!” The boy's heart was still beating, but he was unconscious and that sparked fear into the wolf looming over him.

“He’s naked.” 

“Erica not now!” Derek shouted. His gaze was solely on the boy’s face ignoring any other consequences of his sudden change, he shook him twice more with no sign of Stiles having felt him. Cursing Derek searched for his phone, digging it out of his pocket and quickly calling Deaton all while shouting to his betas. “Get a blanket.” He heard someone race off towards the bed of blankets they’d made earlier but ignored it in favor of staring down at Stiles' body and listening to the phone ring. Finally, Deaton picked up.

“Derek?”

“He’s back, but he’s unconscious.”

“How long?”

“A few minutes, he’s not waking up.” Derek’s eyes traveled from the boy's face to his ribs where the bandages had fallen loose. There was fresh blood streaking from beneath the bandages, gritting his teeth at the reminder of him having hurt the boy. Derek forced himself to tune the thoughts of being careless aside as Deaton spoke.

“He will need rest. He should recover in time.”

“In time? How much time?”

“I don’t know.” Derek cursed. “Make him comfortable and let him rest. Once he wakes get him to eat and drink that should be all he needs. The magic wasn’t meant to harm.”

“Fine. Anything else?”

“No. What was the catalyst to his-”

Derek canceled the call without answering the man, Stiles’ reasons for becoming a wolf didn’t matter and Derek really didn't think Stiles would tell him even if he asked. Staring down at Stiles he jerked in surprise when Isaac came around to lay a blanket over the boy's naked body. Preserving some of his modesty. Isaac met his eyes and worried his lip a bit.

“What’d Deaton say?”

“He needs rest,” Derek muttered as he continued to stare down at Stiles.

“We should check his wounds.” Boyd offered up. “He doesn’t have fur anymore.”

Derek gave a silent nod, reaching forward to gently scoop up the lax figure. “Come on.” The betas were surprised when Derek started heading for the stairs. None of them were allowed up to the Alpha’s bedroom without express permission, none of them argued that point right now though. They silently followed after snatching up the medical supplies Boyd had purchased earlier. Climbing the stairs they found Derek already situating Stiles into his bed, pulling the blanket Isaac had draped over him down below his ribs where the punctures were. Derek was scowling at the wounds he had inflicted on the boy but was distracted when Erica jumped onto his bed. Derek scowled at his Beta who smirked devilishly back at him as if she hadn’t just climbed into his bed like a predator. Isaac rolled his eyes as he came to stand beside Derek, taking in the bleeding holes in the boy's side.

“Well, they don’t look too bad.” Derek’s head rounded on him with the glare that had previously been directed at Erica. The blonde shrugged. “I mean I’ve seen worse at the clinic.”

“Did you get any wolves that turn into teenagers at the clinic?” Derek asked in a biting tone.

“No. Though Mrs. Santinol’s poodle is a bitch.”

Derek frowned while the other betas chuckled at the blonde's comment. Shaking his head Derek muttered just loud enough for them to hear. “Let's get him taken care of before he wakes up.”

The others fell in line, Boyd digging through the bag of supplies until he found some more peroxide. Isaac made a face at first before sighing. “Yeah, I guess we better use that.” Taking the offered bottle he handed it to Derek while he pulled out some gauze pads.

“Okay pour a little at a time over one of them and I’ll push this onto it and keep it soaking the wound. We can’t give him stitches here and he really doesn’t look like he needs them anyway. So we’ll just cover it with gauze and tape it down.” He shot a look towards Erica. “Get extra gauze out and the tape so we can do this fast.”

Erica and Boyd worked in tandem to open fresh packages of both while Derek slowly poured some peroxide on the boy's chest. He grimaced when they heard Stiles groan and shift, though he didn’t manage to move away from what they were doing.

“He’s okay,” Isaac whispered as he placed the first sheet of gauze over the first puncture. Derek’s glare was felt by all of them, no words were passed between them after that. Isaac motioning to Erica and Boyd when to take over on a puncture wound while he and Derek moved onto the next. They all worked in tandem until the boy's chest was a mismatch of squares of gauze. Isaac took a look at the work they’d done and hummed.

“What?” Derek asked in a bitter tone.

“Nothing. Just wondering if we should put an outside wrap on it.”

“Does it matter?” Derek glanced back towards Stiles unsure if what Isaac was stating would help the boy in any way.

“In the long run, no, but it might stop him from trying to peel them off because he’ll be too damn curious for his own good.” Erica snickered, Boyd coughed into his hand to hide his own amusement at Isaac's assumption of how Stiles would react to his injury. 

Derek shook his head. “Let's do that then, the last thing we need is him doing something stupid.”

Derek and Boyd gently lifted the boy so that Isaac and Erica could pass the roll of bandages between each other. Gently wrapping the boy's chest until the gauze covering his wounds was hidden from view. When they were done, Boyd and Derek carefully laid the boy back down. Derek shooed Erica off the bed and pulled the blanket back up over Stiles to make sure the teen was warm enough.

“So what do we do now?”

“Nothing.” Derek turned to head back downstairs. The betas glanced at each other a moment before trailing after him.

“What do you mean nothing?” Erica raised her voice only to take a step back when Derek twisted about a glare firmly in place.

“We do nothing. Once he’s strong enough I’ll take him home, Scott will cover for him until then.”

“I uh think she meant about the whole giving him the bite and pack thing,” Isaac muttered quietly.

Derek’s eyes ratcheted back to the blonde. “Scott’s not a part of our pack because he chooses not to be.” He reminded all of them. 

“And Stiles?” Boyd questioned.

Derek gritted his teeth. “Peter wasn’t wrong.” He spat like it burned his very tongue to say as much, not that they blamed him. “Stiles will always be in Scott’s pack, they’ve been each other's pack since before Scott was a wolf. Scott refusing to join our pack it...It puts Stiles in a grey area.”

“Gray area?”

“What’s that mean?”

“Can’t he be in both?”

Derek glared back at Erica. “No. I mean it’s not-It doesn’t work that way.” Derek looked irritated at simply being asked to explain it all to them. “Typically that’s not how packs work. You’re either a member of one or none, you don’t belong to two at the same time.”

“So he either has Scott or he has us.” Isaac summarized. Derek nodded. “What if...Well never mind.” Isaac shook his head.

“What if?” Derek prodded the boy.

“It was stupid, I already know the answer.” Derek held his gaze. “I-I just what would happen if you gave him the bite? I mean would he stay with us then or would he still go off with Scott? They could become Omega’s...I mean it’s possible.”

Derek shook his head, he wasn’t sure how that might change Stiles’ opinion on the pack. He’d have a direct tie to Derek as the man’s Beta and that might be strong enough to see him tear himself away from Scott, on the other hand, Scott’s connection to Stiles ran deep and the newly turned wolf might remain steadfastly loyal to the other wolf. “That would be his choice, I’m not going to stop them.”

“Until they hurt someone,” Boyd stated calmly.

Derek glared at the teen, though it didn’t seem to have much effect seeing as Boyd was telling the truth. “Scott has a solid anchor...For now. So long as he keeps it or can adapt when it fails him then he’ll be fine.” Derek looked away. “I managed on my own after Laura died for a while. I wasn’t even sure where she’d gone initially, it took a few weeks to track her down to here.”

“Yeah, but you know what the hell you're doing.” Erica snorted. “This is Scott we’re talking about.”

Derek’s lips fought off the smile that threatened to show. “I know.” He finally muttered.

“And if you gave Stiles the bite...Well, he’s spastic on a good day.” She smiled before she mused aloud. “Though I suppose the bite might cure his ADHD.”

“More than likely.”

“So he might not be so spastic.” Boyd glanced towards Erica. “Like your seizures stopping.” Erica nodded with a smile.

“Then again it is Stiles,” Isaac smirked. “That might just be a trait that the bite can’t fix.” Erica gave a bark of laughter at the blonde quip.

“I’ll keep my word if that’s what Stiles wants, but that won’t be happening today.” Derek turned fully away from them and walked towards the kitchen. Leaving his Beta’s behind. The trio stared at one another, Erica giving a sigh as she walked over to flop onto the couch after righting it. Boyd quickly joined her and after a few minutes so did Isaac. The three wolves were hard-pressed to fit on the couch together, but that was kind of the point. Huddling together like puppies made them feel better, passively scenting one another simply by laying on top or beside one another. When Derek reentered the main loft space he saw his betas wrapped around each other. Shaking his head he headed for the stairs.

“You’re not going to join us?”

“No. I’ll be upstairs.”

The betas didn’t argue and Derek didn’t feel the need to explain. Heading up the stairs the wolf entered his bedroom, his eyes latching onto the teen that was still laying passively among the bed covers he’d been laid upon. Sitting on the edge of the bed opposite of Stiles, Derek frowned. Stiles appeared to be alright, his breathing was even and his heartbeat strong. He didn’t look to be in pain, his face relaxed as if he was truly just asleep rather than unconscious. Shifting around Derek leaned back against the headboard, letting his head fall back with a small thunk. 

Sighing the Alpha closed his eyes. His mind couldn’t help but ruminate on Peter’s words. He’d offered Stiles the bite and the boy had said no. Derek would be lying if he said that a small part of him wasn’t glad about that. Though he supposed in the long run that was what brought them to today. Well, that and the stupid book Scott had read from, Derek still had questions about that though he figured there was always the chance that Stiles would lie to him about it. At the very least be evasive until Derek wore him down. Either way, Deaton wasn’t about to give it back to the teen and that was a small comfort to the wolf. Derek didn’t even realize he was falling to sleep, the exhausting day finally catching up to him. His betas for once were quiet, he could hear the steady beats of their hearts, the heartbeat next to him was strong and soothing. He was in his den, in his bed and the pup next to him was sleeping. There weren’t any threats and thus there was no reason not to sleep.


	5. Back to normal...Ish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles finds out just how taxing the magic was on him and suffers a strange side effect.

Stiles wasn’t sure what he expected when he woke up, but this was definitely not what he had considered. He’d expected to wake up either in the hospital or maybe at Deaton's, but surely not Derek Hale's bedroom. Yet, that was distinctly where Stiles was and how did he know this? Namely, because he was in a bed and the other occupant of said bed was Derek Hale. He knew the scenery of the loft well enough to deduce that this had to be the Alpha’s bedroom which immediately sent his brain going down so many avenues that he did not want his brain going down at this moment. 

Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself, Stile focused on himself. His side ached and for a moment it took him a bit to figure out why he frowned when he remembered Derek’s claws sinking into him. That had hurt. Glancing down found that he was covered by a blanket. That was easily pushed aside, he scowled at the bandages. That seemed a bit overkill for a few stab wounds, he lay there a moment before rolling his eyes. How was it his life that Stiles started considering stab wounds ‘not that bad’. Sighing Stiles let his head fall back against the pillow, other than Derek beside him he couldn’t hear anyone. That didn’t mean they weren’t there though, he knew wolves well enough now to know that sometimes quiet places were the best places for wolves to hide. 

So Stiles did what any sane human would do, he laid there and waited for death. Stiles was under no delusions that just because he found himself in Derek Hale's bed that the Alpha was waiting to kill him himself. Derek had taken the time and effort to lug his ass upstairs to his own bedroom and lay beside him so as not to miss his chance to maim Stiles. It was most likely going to be bloody and painful, the memories of him threatening to tear out his throat with his teeth came to mind. Of course, Scott wasn’t there to protect him, not that he could. Scott wasn’t a match for Derek, not even back when Derek had been just a Beta. He was screwed. Tilting his head to the side Stiles stared back at the Alpha of the pack, he could remember vividly what the man had said to him while he was a wolf.

How Derek had promised to give him the bite if that was what he wanted, Stiles wasn’t sure anymore what he wanted. All he knew was that he wanted to belong. That was what he wanted most of all, but there wasn’t much chance of that. For all his sweet words, Stiles knew that he couldn’t part from Scott and he knew first hand that although Scott was willing to work with Derek and his pack he still refused to be in said pack. Which meant that Stiles could not be in said pack, not without betraying his best friend. Sometimes he wished his life wasn’t so complicated and then he’d get to see some really cool supernatural shit that made up for it. It was just a shame that today was the first one. Figuring that it was best to get his own murder done and over with, Stiles slowly leveraged himself upwards only to hiss as it tugged on his side in a way that shouldn’t have been surprising to cause pain and yet did. His hand went to brace his side as he cursed under his breath while simultaneously trying to get into a more upright position.

“You should rest.”

“JESUS CHRIST.” Stiles' head whipped around to stare back at Derek. “Fuck man, warn me next time.” 

Derek scowled back at him. “You knew I was here.”

“Yeah asleep here, not awake here.” Derek snorted back at him, Stiles rolled his eyes as he grunted as he finally achieved an upright position. Yay an accomplishment for the day. Sighing as he leaned back against the headboard, Stiles couldn’t help but mutter. “Nice place.”

“Stiles.”

“Kinda feels like a bunk bed, ya know without the other bed thing...Sorta.” He heard Derek sigh but didn’t dare look over. “So are you going to kill me?”

Derek made a startled noise. “No. Why would you ask that?”

Stiles shrugged only to grimace as it pulled on his side when the pain faded suddenly Stiles turned his head to see Derek’s hand on his bare shoulder. Smirking Stiles muttered. “You don’t have to do that, I’m okay.”

Derek frowned back at him, calling him on the lie by stating the bitter truth. “I hurt you.”

Stiles shrugged pushing past such a thing by remarking. “I think I remember biting you, I think we’re even.”

“I heal.”

“So do I,” Stiles smirked at Derek’s glare. “Okay I heal at glacial speed compared to you guys, but I do, in fact, heal.”

Derek smirked as he let his hand fall away from the teen's shoulder. Readjusting himself as if to get comfortable rather than trying to find some median in their close proximity to each other. 

Stiles decided quite easily not to bring it up, instead choosing to mutter. “So...What now?”

“Do you want the bite?”

Stiles froze, blinking a few times he sputtered. “Wow that’s...Uh...” Stiles frowned, gave Derek a perplexed look, and sighed. “No.”

Derek frowned, tilting his head as he heard the lie in the boy's statement. “Yo-”

“It’s polite not to call people out on their bullshit you know.” Derek raised a brow, clearly surprised by the teen’s statement. “No. Not-Not right now.”

“What do you mean not right now?”

Stiles hummed as he turned to stare out across the loft rather than maintain eye contact with someone as imposing as Derek. “I mean if I was like roadkill or something you have my full and unrevokable permission to try and werewolf CPR my ass, but for now...For now, I want to stay as I am.”

Derek looked away from the teen, a small smirk on his face. “I’ll remember that.”

“See that you do cause lord knows that Scott will flip his shit. Someone has to be able to be calm about it.” Derek glanced back to see Stiles smirking at him. “And FYI he will totally flip his shit.” Derek rolled his eyes at the teen's statement, it wasn’t hard to reason that Scott would react exactly that way. “Sorry about the whole...Wolf thing.” Stiles waved his hand in the air. “I mean I didn’t count on this shit happening, but ya know. Scotts an idiot. I love him, but he’s an idiot.”

“He is.” Derek didn’t have any compunctions about agreeing with the teen which had Stiles smirking.

“That’s okay, he’s gonna be my bitch for like a month after this shit.”

“What?” 

“Totally, when we were little and he accidentally caused me to fall from the treehouse in the back of his yard, well I broke my arm and he was so sorry about it that he was like my slave for two weeks. I think turning me into a wolf will get me a month, what do you think?”

Derek stared perplexed at the boy questioning his opinion on such a thing. “I guess.”

“Totally a month,” Stiles muttered to himself. “Best part...I can make it longer if I involve his mom.”

Derek snorted at the planning Stiles was going forward with just to make Scott suffer. “Seriously?”

“What she knows shit, might as well use it to my advantage.”

“That’s blackmail.”

Stiles sent him a piercing look. “Scott turned me into a fucking wolf.” Derek was silent a moment, then nodded. Stiles nodded back. “Yeah, that's what I thought.” Craning his head back against the headboard Stiles slouched back against it before admitting softly. “God I’m tired.”

“You can rest a while before I take you home.”

Stiles huffed. “Yeah...I’m gonna need some clothes. Cause I can explain a lot of things, but public indecency is not one of them.”

Derek actually chuckled at the teen’s outlandish remark. “I can get you clothes.”

“Thank god.” Stiles sighed in relief. “There’s only so much my dad will overlook you know?” Derek hummed. “I am not looking forward to explaining how that lamp got broken...Well actually.” Stiles tilted his head as he considered what all had happened and his previous history with breaking things in the house. “Yeah, he’d totally go for that.”

“For what?” Derek found himself curious.

“Me and Scott playing lacrosse in the house again.”

“Again?”

Stiles smirked, clearly not at all repentant. “Again.”

Shaking his head the wolf couldn’t help but mutter. “You two are reckless.”

“Hey, this one was totally on Scott.”

“How’d you get the book in the first place?” Derek gave the boy a curious glance, everyone had wanted to know that.

“eBay?” Stiles smirked when his little snarky comment got the reaction he’d anticipated.

Derek frowned at the obvious lie. “No.” He stated firmly.

“Eh, was worth a try.”

“How’d you get the book, Stiles?”

Stiles wasn’t really prepared to get into all of that, so he chose to sidetrack Derek. “So Deaton has the book?”

“Yes.” Derek huffed as his question was ignored.

“Is he gonna burn it?”

“I have no idea.”

“He should burn it. Like we should roast marshmallows off that thing.” Tilting his head to the side Stiles smiled at Derek. “We could totally do that.”

“I don’t think fumes off of a 100-year-old text are good for roasting marshmallows.” Derek dryly stated.

“Eh, live a little.”

“You got turned into a wolf cause Scott read something, you wanna see what fumes from burning it does?”

Stiles winced, Derek kinda had a point there. Supernatural stuff had a wicked sense of humor and Stiles really didn’t want to find out what kind of revenge a dead book might spurn. “Right...So maybe mountain ash and then burn it?”

Derek nodded in approval, the pair fell into a brief silence before the nagging thoughts returned and Derek was forced to question the boy on something he knew could cause a fight. “Why’d you say no to Peter.”

Stiles snorted, arching a brow at the Alpha. “Seriously? Have you seen him? I mean I get that he’s your uncle and all, but one we killed him, two he’s like legit a psycho and that’s before we killed him and three...I just knew.” 

“Knew?”

“I knew that if-If I took the bite from him...Nothing good would come of it, not from him.” Stiles shook his head, though he did add. “He said I was lying.”

“Were you?”

“About wanting the bite...Probably, but I think his ego was hurt when I told him to pound sand.”

Derek smirked, that sounded like Peter. “What’d you say?”

“Not from him, that I didn’t want to be like him. So I didn’t want it from him.”

Derek hummed, inwardly proud of the teen for standing up to his uncle despite knowing that Peter could have killed him for it. “Were you scared?”

“Fuck yes. Have you seen him?!” The teen waved his hand once more at the loft.

Derek smirked at the spastic teen’s reply. “Yeah.”

“He’s like the epitome of what lurks in the shadows. Like you could write a book or a movie about his level of creepiness.” Derek shook his head at the boy's random thoughts. “What’s worse is that it would probably sell.” Stiles mused. He was silent a moment before asking. “Does it make me a bad person for enjoying breaking that bastards leg and arm?”

“No.”

“Good cause I’d be okay with it either way.” Derek smiled back at him, Stiles smirked clearly pleased with himself as he added. “I made him scream like a little girl.”

Derek snorted as the teen tried to dramatize what had happened when he attacked Peter. “Don’t say that in front of him.”

Stiles rolled his eyes clearly pointing out how that wouldn't be an issue. “I don’t have a death wish dude, I ain’t saying shit without you lot around.”

“Don’t call me dude.” Derek frowned.

“Okay, sourwolf.” The Alpha sighed as Stiles gave a short laugh. “Hey, it’s better than what I call Peter.” Derek raised a brow. “Zombiewolf.” Derek snorted. “Well, he is...I mean we legit buried his ass and he didn’t stay dead. That is by definition a zombie.”

“He didn’t stay dead because of what happened with L-”

“He’s still a zombie,” Stiles interjected before Derek could start in on the specifics. “And I for one would not be surprised if he chose to eat people.” Derek grimaced at that. “I know it’s disturbing on so many levels, but it is Peter.”

“Stop talking.”

Stiles chuckled at the growl that laced the man’s voice. “When has that ever worked on me?” Derek gave him a rather hostile look. “Come on sourwolf admit it, you like me.”

“Go to sleep or I’ll make you sleep.”

Stiles frowned. “So mean.” Still, the teen settled back down onto the bed with a sigh, carefully turning onto his side so his back was turned to Derek. All was quiet and then after taking a shallow breath, Stiles uttered. “Thanks, Derek...For...Just thanks.”

Derek hummed in reply, though his eyes were on the boys back. He listened carefully and knew exactly when Stiles drifted back to sleep. Setting his head back against the headboard, he thought about what Stiles had said. A wry grin came to his face when he recalled what Stiles had said to Peter.

‘Not from you.’

*************

Derek glared solidly when Scott came barging into the loft early the next morning, the teen hadn’t even seen fit to knock let alone call ahead and his intrusion wasn’t appreciated. Least of all because of the state of the person he had come to harass, Stiles was seated on one of the barstools in the kitchen cradling his cup of coffee reverently.

Stiles was lethargically sipping on a cup of coffee and sent his best friend a glare. “Go away, it’s too damn early.”

Derek turned to hide his smirk as Stiles put Scott in his place.

“Dude your alright.”

“I will still bite you.”

Erica manacle laughter from the living room had Scott shouting back at her. “Shut up!” He pouted towards Stiles with his puppy dog eyes.

“I mean it, Scott.” Came the tired response.

“Go sit down or leave.” Derek glared back at Scott. “He’s not leaving until he’s eaten something.” 

Scott twisted about and stalked into the other room clearly not pleased to hear the inherent order in that, let alone how Stiles was on board with it.

Stiles gave Derek a small smile. “I’m good with Coffee.” The Alpha ignored him as he went back to helping Isaac cook breakfast. Stiles rolled his eyes as he slowly got up off of the barstool and made his way into the main living space, Erica was lounging on the couch. Looking as comfortable as can be, meanwhile Scott was glaring at her from where he stood a few feet away from the couch while she just smiled back. 

Giving a tired sigh Stiles muttered in a pleading tone of voice. “Please Scott.”

Scott looked pained to be told to behave but seeing the exhaustion clearly written across Stiles’ face had him nodding. “Sure. Okay.” Stiles didn’t respond other than to collapse into an armchair near the couch. 

Erica gave him an appraising look. “I don’t think you're going to make it to school tomorrow.” She said it offhandedly.

“Sure he is.” Scott rallied, defending his friend. “He’ll be fine.”

Stiles gave Erica a put-out look, not having the strength to argue against that case Stiles settled for warning him. “Scott so help me if you don’t shut up I’ll let her bite you.” He waved a tired hand towards the girl in question. Erica snapped her human teeth earning a small chuckle from Stiles. Scott glared back at her and then sent a beseeching look towards Stiles. The teen sighed before taking another cautious sip of his coffee. Even after a night's rest, he was still exhausted, Stiles didn’t think Erica was all that wrong in her assumption that he wouldn’t make it to class tomorrow. The teen wasn’t sure he even wanted to try at this point, that bone-weary sensation that made him feel like he was weighted down by ten tons of concrete was holding firm no matter how much coffee he drank.

“We could go get food and go back to your place.” Scott was sending Stiles a begging expression, though Stiles wasn’t in the mood for it given how he stared blankly back at the teen.

Stiles was confused by Scott’s eager attitude to leave, granted he knew the boy had bad blood with everyone but even someone as oblivious as Scott should be able to deduce that Stiles was tired. Tilting his head Stiles muttered. “What’s up?”

Scott sent a look towards Erica before looking back at him.

“Oh don’t be bashful, what’ s on your mind?” Erica cooed.

“Shut up.” Scott barked out.

“Yep coffee is great.” Stiles got to his feet ignoring the two bickering wolves even as they turned to stare at him in confusion. Walking back into the kitchen leaving Scott to fend off Erica or the other way around depending on how you looked at it. Stiles set his coffee cup on the counter, sent a look towards Boyd, and muttered. “I know she probably doesn’t need it, but I just left Erica alone with Scott and they are literally fighting like cats and dogs.”

Boyd smirked at the warning. “She’s fine.”

“You can hear them can’t you?”

“We all can,” Isaac stated from beside Derek.

Stiles sighed as he leaned forward on the counter, stretching himself out all the while still cradling the warm cup of coffee. “Is he still be an idiot?”

“Yes.” Came from all three wolves.

Stiles gave a small chuckle at the unanimous reply. “Wow...Okay. Well then I should probably head out, thanks for attempting to make breakfast, but I think we should avoid further bloodshed don’t you?” Stiles straightened himself out, resigned to the fact that Scott couldn’t leave things alone for his sake. It would just be better to deal with his best friend's apologies and head home, besides doing that would avoid awkward goodbyes so really Scott was saving him. Derek twisted about a frown on his face. “It’s cool sourwolf, I’m gonna go home and crash.” Stiles drained the rest of his coffee, raising the cup once it was empty in a solute before setting it down on the counter. “Thanks for the coffee.” The wolves all watched Stiles head into the other room to ‘collect’ Scott. The pair was gone not three minutes later. Erica came into the kitchen once they were gone a glare firmly on her face even as Boyd pulled her into his arms.

“He’s being an idiot.”

“Stiles or Scott?”

She huffed as she was asked to distinguish between the two. “Mostly Scott, but Stiles could have stayed.”

Derek shook his head. “He wanted to keep the peace.”

“He’s exhausted and Scott’s preparing him to go to school tomorrow? Fuck that, he won’t make it through first period.”

The other teens hummed in agreement, Derek sighed at how unsettled his Beta’s were. Turning once more to the food. “It’s not up to us.”

The wolves fell into silence, though it was clear none of them were particularly happy with how things were going.

***********

Stiles all but fell into his bed that night after a long and progressive talk with Scott about what had happened the day before had surmounted into one thing. Stiles ripping into Peter was awesome, Scott reading from the book was bad, and Stiles being human once more was amazing. That was really all that they needed in their life at this point, Stiles chose not to tell Scott about Derek’s promise about giving him the bite. He knew his best friend wouldn't take kindly to such a thing, mostly because Scott had never wanted to be a wolf. The whole time they were figuring out stuff was to see if they could reverse it and boy if that hadn’t of been one hell of a let down for his buddy and to make matters worse, Peter didn’t stay dead. It seemed that the moment that Stiles allowed himself to relax, to leave all the petty worries about what had happened the other day behind him that his eyes grew heavy. Sleep was so easy to be found and before he knew it the teen was out cold, his mind, however, wandered.

_ Stiles was the wolf again, running through the preserve. He wasn’t alone though, he could tell as much right off the bat. There were the pounding of paws through the underbrush, the smell of another animal nearby. It took a startling moment for him to realize what it was. Wolf. Another wolf was with him, at first Stiles thought it was Scott, believing that his friend was running along with side him as that would make the most sense. It wasn’t. When Stiles twisted his head to the side to take in the sight of his companion. The wolf with him was an actual wolf and not a werewolf as he had first assumed it would be, from what he could see as they raced across the terrain the other wolf was pulling up ahead of him. Leading him towards something, though Stiles wasn’t sure exactly what.  _

_ All he could really focus on was the sensation coursing through his body. It was freeing to race about on all four paws, the wind blowing through his thick coat, letting out howls of pleasure as he tumbled with the other wolf. Biting and snapping at each other in play as they raced to some unknown destination. Stiles soon found himself rolling over to show his belly to the stronger wolf. Showing his submission and getting the gentle happiness and content feeling that came of being submissive to his Alpha. Stiles knew without a doubt that the wolf looming over him was indeed an Alpha, his Alpha. Yet the wolf didn’t bite him as he expected it to, it leaned down and rubbed its head against his own. Coming to lay beside him, the pair of wolves snuggling up to one another. The sensation of being close to another wolf was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He couldn’t describe it as anything other than what it was. Being pack. _

Stiles jerked upright the second his dad pounded on the door to tell him to get up, panting a bit his heart still racing from...His dream? Stiles frowned, it felt like he’d been actually running, his legs were sore and everything. The teen huffed. “That’s just stupid, a dream can’t give you a workout.” Then again his rapid heartbeat might have called him a liar if he’d chosen to listen to it. Stiles threw his blankets aside and despite the exhaustion that seemed to be weighing him down in all directions the teen forced himself up. “Its only school.” He rallied while getting some clothes out of his dresser. “Just a few hours, a few stupid assignments.” Stiles prodded along, getting dressed at a glacier pace. “And then I can come home and...Do whatever.” Stiles let out a sigh, standing like an idiot in the center of his room for a moment as he tried to process just how tempting it was to just climb back into bed. However cool that dream was, it was clear that it hadn’t afforded him much rest.

“It’s just school.” Stiles gave a firm nod and headed for the door, he could do this. Scott was right, no supernatural magic voodoo shit was going to keep him from being normal.

**********

  
  


Stiles wasn’t sure what level of hellish stupidity had made him think that Scott was right, but he was sorely regretting it now. He’d passed out during third period when he’d gotten up to turn in a report. Stiles hadn’t known he’d passed out, not until he woke up in the nurse's station with his father frantically talking to said nurse. Then he’d been forced to go through the proceedings of lying to everyone to keep everything supernatural off the radar, he started with the age-old having not eaten anything in the morning (he had) having not slept enough (he had) and having been stressed about a test (he wasn’t). It all worked and saw him being ferried home by his concerned father and told to rest until his dad came home. Stiles didn’t argue, he didn’t have much to argue against the order as it fell directly in line with what he wanted to do. He was tired and was presently being ordered to rest, Sounded good to him. So it made sense that when Stiles fell face-first into his bed and fell asleep within minutes of hitting said bed that Stiles should get an abundance of restful sleep. He did not, in fact, get that.

What Stiles got was yet another strange dream, something that was in stark contrast to what his usual dreams were about. It seemed that the supernatural had a new way of intruding on his life. Normally if it wasn’t a dream about girls, college, or being a cop and taking after his dad then it was a nightmare. Stiles’ nightmares could take on many forms, the most common being about his mom...The second most common having to do with Scott being bitten by Peter. All of that was quickly set aside because this was a dream and not a nightmare, he could tell because even though it was strange. It was...Nice. Peaceful.

_ The wolf’s eyes opened at the same time the ears on top of its head flickered as the noise of the preserve burst to life. That first sharp inhale of breath was both invigorating and informative as the spark of earthy flavors that brushed across the wolf's senses told it where it was. Stiles’ own consciousness burst forth, taking in the sights, smells, and feelings all around his wolf. Watching on as it scrambled to its feet, shaking itself before gazing about, searching. A howl sounded not too far off into the distance and without another thought, the wolf replied in kind. A loud gleeful howl burst from his wolf’s throat, answering its pack before with a great burst of strength in its sleek muscular form took off across the land. Its breaths came in heavy pants as it galloped across the broken twigs, dry leaves, and dirt following the sounds of the pack waiting just up ahead. _

_ Only the pack it had been expecting was only one, but that didn’t matter to the wolf or to Stiles, they were happy to have a pack no matter how big or small it was. A happy yip left its throat as it sprang forward to tussle with the other creature. They rolled into the dirt, little snaps of teeth given in play as paws batted at each other. Playful growls spurned between each other before the larger wolf stood and shook itself out, it gave a sharp bark before racing off.  _

_ Stiles’ wolf gave chase, the teen watching with an eager heartbeat of his own as they chased after the other wolf. Nipping at its heels as they ran between rocks, trees, and any other obstacle that chose to get in their way in their game. It was exhilarating, but more than anything, freeing. It felt in that instant that every breath that came from the harshly panted wolf was more full of life than any Stiles had given in his own. It made a part of him ache for this sensation that wasn’t his own, simply something he was living vicariously through. Regardless of this depressing news, Stiles didn’t let the moment pass him by and enjoyed as his wolf and the other ran throughout the preserve, free like any wolves should be.  _

Stiles jolted awake when the window made the horrible squeaking sound it made when someone was entering via his bedroom window. The sudden intrusion, the sudden noise being just enough to snap the teen out of his dream and bring him shooting back into reality. Wiping the sweat from his brow Stiles frowned at his damp palm, that wasn’t normal.

“You okay?

Stiles' head whipped around to see Derek of all people inside his room. “Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

“Fine...Well, other than the crazy-ass dream I just had.” The teen frowned once more down at his hand that still glimmered with a sheen of sweat that he’d removed from his brow. “I’m sweating...Weird.”

“How is that weird?” Derek failed to see the correlation.

“Cause...It’s like I was actually running.”

“You were running in your dream?”

“Yes.” Stiles nodded at first only to change his mind abruptly and shake his head. “No.”

“Yes. No?” Derek tilted his head in confusion a frown forming quickly before he snapped. “Which is it?”

“I-Well yes I was running, but no it wasn’t me.” Derek glared at the lack of information being offered which prompted Stiles into telling the disgruntled Alpha. “I was the wolf.”

Derek’s head tilted up a scowl in place. “What?”

“I-I was the wolf again.” Stiles frowned back at the scowling Alpha, not at all bothered by the impressive glower that was being offered to him as he explained his dream. “I was in the preserve, running.” Stiles huffed out a small laugh at the absurdity of it all. “Totally weird right?”

Derek didn’t comment on Stile's dream, rather choosing to walk over to the boy’s desk and take a seat in the chair there. A safe distance away from the teen but a far more relaxed position for them to talk. Derek figured that it was best to move away from whatever dream it was Stiles had endured and chose to comment on what his betas had told him more specifically demanded of him in result to the event that had played out just a few hours prior. “Isaac said you passed out in class.”

Stiles made an embarrassed face, his cheeks flushing a bit as he looked away. “Uh yeah...I kinda did.”

“Kinda?”

“Okay did.” Stiles huffed sending a petulant expression towards the Alpha who was watching him critically. “It’s not like I planned on doing that.”

“That’s good to know,” Derek stated dryly.

Stiles rolled his eyes at the Alpha’s choice in being sarcastic back at him. “I was tired still and-”

“And you went to school anyways.”

“Yeah.” Stiles sighed, his shoulders sagging a bit as he admitted just why he was so stupid as to decide to do such a thing. For some reason, it felt all the more embarrassing, no shameful to admit such a thing in front of Derek. Stiles chose not to reflect hard on why that was as he was too busy trying to explain the reason why he’d been so stupid in the first place. “I guess I just wanted to prove Scott right, we’ve been through so much already and it just seemed kinda stupid to flake out now.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.” The teen shrugged. “It’s stupid. Why do that? I mean I knew I didn’t feel right and yet I still did it. How stupid is that?” He chuckled.

Derek didn’t reply one way or the other. Figuring that the majority of Stiles' questions were rhetorical rather than directed at him. Stiles came out of whatever was bothering him soon enough, his head coming up to stare at Derek quizically. 

“What are you doing here?”

“I was told that you passed out in class, Deaton said that you could be tired for a whil-”

“Derek.” Stiles gave the wolf a solid look. “So I passed out, it’s no big deal, that doesn’t explain the impromptu visit through my window.”

“It scared Isaac.”

Stiles was surprised to hear that, out of all the reasons he could have foreseen being the reason for Derek to come and see him. Godzilla monster, Harpies, Zombies...Zombiewolfs...It was Isaac? “Oh...It did?”

Derek nodded back at the seemingly startled teen, frowning as he explained the obvious. “Schools not out yet, he wanted me to come and make sure you were alright.”

“Oh.” Stiles gave a nod, that was nice...Odd, but nice. “Right. Well as you can see I am still alive and not a wolf.”

Derek smirked at Stiles’ choice in specifying that despite Derek being able to see for that himself. “An improvement over yesterday.”

“Haha, laugh it up sourwolf. Most of the known world doesn’t turn into werewolves or other such things that go bump in the night.” Derek gave him a bland look, Stiles had to admit he already knew what the problem with that was so he quickly modified his statement. “Okay, most things outside of Beacon hills.” Derek gave a nod to that as if that small adjustment mattered. Stiles smirked. “Well you can tell Isaac that I’m still alive, feel like shit, but I am still alive.”

“You should rest.”

“I was. Before you came crawling through my window. It’s daylight what if my neighbors saw you?”

Derek snorted at the weak attempts to make him feel bad for sneaking in through the teen’s window in broad daylight. “No one’s home, I’d hear them.”

Stiles blinked back at the wolf, his brain momentarily leaving him until he connected the dots. “Oh right...Hearing. It’s still freaky to know you can do that, I mean its freaky when Scott does it too...But I don’t know where I was going with that.” Stiles frowned at himself as he realized that there was nothing he could say that would make super hearing normal.

“You were resting."

“Right...Resting.” Stiles nodded hastily when Derek brought him back around to what had been going on. “So yeah, aside from the weird dream I’m good.”

Derek gave him an appraising look, the boy’s heart rate was even but there was a bit of a tremor in there as he asked. “You're sure?”

Stiles nodded. “Yeah.” Stiles watched Derek rise from where he’d been seated at his desk chair. No sooner than had the wolf touched the window than did Stiles mind call forth the image. “Wait.” Derek turned towards him. Stiles frowned. “Soooo like horribly invasive personal question...Like so invasive and I-.”

Derek glared as the teen prattled on about how invasive his question was rather than just asking the question itself. “What Stiles?”

“I-I mean I know Laura could turn into a wolf right? Well, of course, she could becaus-Right.” Stiles swallowed nervously at the glare he was receiving for having brought up such a memory as Derek’s dismembered sister.

“Get to the point,” Derek growled.

“C-Could other members of your family do that?” Derek gave him a questioning gaze but it was deeply beneath the scowl that proved Derek hadn’t liked the question, to begin with. Stiles shook his head, it was too invasive and Stiles totally understood why but his curiosity had gotten the better of him and now he was sorely regretting it. “Never mind...It doesn’t matter.”

“Why do you ask?”

“I-” Stiles looked down at his lap. “My dream...I wasn’t alone.”

“There was a werewolf?”

“No... Yes? I mean it was a wolf and not a human, but I think-I think it was a wolf-wolf.” Stiles made a face at his own terminology. “God that sounds stupid. Look I’m pretty sure it was a werewolf only in a wolf-”

“Full shift.”

“Huh?”

“It’s what they call it. Werewolf packs, when a werewolf can physically turn into a wolf it’s a full shift.”

Stiles nodded his head, listening attentively to what Derek had to say on the subject matter. “So Laura wasn’t some kind of outlier then?”

Derek shook his head as he turned to stare out the window rather than at the curious teen as he shared with Stiles. “My mother could do it too. It’s why she was so revered by the other packs. It’s-It’s rare. The fact that Laura could do it as well was...It made our pack special.”

“So...Could you do it?”

Derek shook his head admitting to the teen. “I’ve never done it.”

“Could you learn?”

Derek snorted, glaring out the window as he harped. “It’s not something you pick up from a book Stiles.”

Stiles nodded his head even though the wolf couldn’t see it, it was clear that he’d touched yet again on something far too personal. “Right. Sorry about the questions and all, but the dream was...It felt real.”

Derek twisted his head to the side to get a good look at the boy. “You haven’t...You’ve been human right? No-”

“Furry issues?” Stiles smirked with a taunting tone. “No.” He shook his head. “Other than passing out I’ve been completely normal.”

Derek nodded, pulling open the window and sliding out effortlessly. “Get some rest.” He slid the window shut and was gone before Stiles could hope to try and say something.

“Well okay then...Bye.” Stiles waved sardonically towards the empty window. Letting out a long breath of air, Stiles stared up at his ceiling. Now that he was alone, Stiles thought a moment about the dream and ultimately had to voice. “What the hell was with that dream? Who was the other wolf?” Stiles wasn't sure why it mattered to him, but it just did. He wanted to know who it was that he'd seen running alongside himself.


	6. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stile struggles with strange dreams, plagued by the mysterious wolf.

Stiles' dreams continued to be haunted by the wolf Stiles knew to be himself and the wolf who stayed by his side during all the runs through the woods. He had tried in every consequent dream to figure out who the wolf might be, to find some clue as to the identity of the wolf he didn’t recognize. Because Stiles couldn’t let it go, it wasn’t just some random wolf to Stiles. It was someone, and he needed to find out who that someone was. No matter how hard he tried, the wolf’s identity remained elusive to him. Each time he awoke it was to find himself sweating and muscles sore as if he had actually been the one running through the preserve, tired despite having gotten a whole night's rest. It was odd and it left much to be desired since he had to return to school no matter how tired or sore he was, somehow trying to explain wolf dreams to his dad didn’t seem like a way to be allowed to stay home from school. 

So despite the odd dreams, lack of sleep, and sore muscles. Stiles threw his backpack over one shoulder and got himself to school every day. Dreading how each day might go, the odd looks people kept sending him spoke of the rumors of his sudden siesta in third period and how he seemed to look a little more haggard with each passing day. Rumors of some health condition or mental health crisis had them giving him a wide berth if not giving him sympathizing glances. Stiles didn’t let it bother him, he’d faced the same thing after his mother died. It was best to let their fake sympathy run its course, it’s not like they had turned into a wolf. They couldn’t hope to understand what he’d been through and what he was going through now what with the continuous dreams he faced every night. 

Stiles was the one with something to be worried about, he’d never been so grateful for lunch then he was every day since his transformation into a real wolf. Instead of following the normal social etiquette required of his age group, Stiles found himself walking outside far across the lacrosse field to sit among the trees. He sequestered himself beneath them in the shade and let out a long-held sigh. He was tired, his body ached and he was just so very confused. He wanted to know what was going on, surely since he’d ‘faced his demons’ he should be alright. Yet Stiles didn’t feel alright, he felt drug down. Weighted in a way that made him think he was inches from his head going underwater where he would surely drown. The teen gave a dry snort, he was being dramatic. Sure he was tired and sore, but that wasn’t something new to him. Binge studying and lacrosse practice could do the same thing, it’s just because it had to do with the supernatural that it was throwing him for a loop. He was sure that in a few days he’d feel back up to snuff.

********

At eight o'clock that night his phone rang, now this wasn’t out of the ordinary in the slightest, chances were it was Scott complaining about practice or their history assignment the only irksome thing about it was that it disrupted Stiles’ own study time. Sighing Stiles scribbled down the end of the sentence he was writing before scooping his phone up, it was an unknown number. Alright so not Scott. Frowning he answered.

“Hello?”

“Stiles?”

Blinking in surprise the teen muttered in a speculative voice. “Deaton? Is that you?”

“Yes. I’m glad to have reached you.”

“Uh okay...I wasn’t aware you knew my number.” Stiles muttered before the vet quickly replied.

“Scott has seen fit to share your contact information with me in the off chance that something should happen.”

Stiles snorted, ‘something’ sure, more like something bat shit crazy that had to do with werewolves and druids. Leaving that out, for now, Stiles quipped. “What’s up doc?” The teen smirked to himself as he thought humorously about bugs bunny. There was a sigh that led Stiles to believe that Deaton had understood his joke, even if Stiles hadn’t intended counted on the man getting it.

“I wished to check in and see how you were.”

Okay, that sent red flags up in the air, bright RED flags. Deaton wasn’t the sort to just ‘check’ in with people but Stiles played the man’s game and replied dumbly. “Uh well that’s awfully nice of you and all, but I’m okay.” Stiles glanced down at his chem notes, frowning and scooping up his eraser to remove a clear error before balancing the phone in the crook of his shoulder and head while writing in the proper number for the formula.

“Just okay?”

Frowning at the slight pressing nature in the man’s voice, a clear indication that Stiles had been right about the man’s true intentions on calling him. Done with the little game as it seemed Deaton was eager to get things going Stiles asked in a dead tone. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong Stiles I-”

“Cut the crap man, that might work on Scott. I am not Scott.” Stiles glared at the wall, waiting for the man to either fess up or leave him alone altogether. Either would work for Stiles, he had homework and the supernatural shit could wait.

“Yes. Well I was merely checking in on you to see how well you were feeling after this weekend's event.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, he didn’t really think of last weekend as being something festive that they should commiserate over but he answered regardless. “I’m tired, sore, and having fucked up dreams. How’s your Tuesday going?” He sassed.

Deaton didn’t take it to heart, more than likely because he’d had to put up with Derek a time or two. The man choosing not to comment at all, but rather question. “Dreams?”

Rolling his eyes at the clear curiosity lacing the man’s voice, Stiles jotted down some new notes for his chem test. “Yeah.”

“What kind of dreams?”

Stiles smirked to himself, unable to stop the sassy remark that flowed so effortlessly across his tongue. “The kind that happens when you go to sleep at night.”

A long silence.

Deaton cleared his throat a moment before trying again. “Stiles I am try-”

Nope. Stiles was done, far better to just get all this mystical ways crap out of the way so he could finish his homework. “Alright, fine I’ll fill you in but only if you promise that when I’m done we can go our merry ways and I can finish my homework, deal?”

Silence.

“Deaton?”

“Yes...Fine, that is acceptable.”

Stiles huffed at how irritated the man could seem upon getting his own questions answered as if the man really had a choice in the matter when it came to plying Stiles for the truth. The slim prospect of being left alone after the man’s curiosity was sated had Stiles informing the druid. “I’m running through the preserve as the wolf.”

“I see, how interesting. Is there anything else?”

Stiles shrugged despite knowing that the other man couldn’t see it. “ I’m not alone.”

“Your not?” There was a curious edge to the man’s voice, the first real sense of any emotion being inflected to the man’s tone as they talked about Stiles’ dream.

“No.”

“Who is with you? Scott or one of Derek’s pack?”

Stiles snorted as the man began to jump to conclusions, trying to find some link. “No. Another wolf.”

“Another wolf...As in actual wolf or werew-”

“Wolf.”

“Interesting.”

Stiles rolled his eyes as he scratched out a notation he’d made and fixed it. “Yeah it’s the highlight of my evening. Now if you wouldn’t mind I have some homework to do.”

“I would like you to come to the clinic.”

Stile groaned as he’d foolishly assumed the man would follow through with their deal. How stupid was that? Deaton didn’t let people do what they wanted, he always had to have some part to play in things when it came to the supernatural. “We had a deal and unless you’ve got some proof of me wolfing out again or some other magical shenanigans I’m staying put to finish my homework.”

“I have no proof of such a thing occurring again but you were under a lot of strain from the transformation.”

I’m fine, I’m human and alive. What more could we possibly ask for?” Stiles smirked when he heard the tale-tell sound of the man’s aggrieved sigh. “We done?” He hoped, already knowing the answer.

“Yes. Goodnight Stiles.”

“Night, promise to call you if I feel like howling at the moon.” Another aggrieved sigh. Stiles laughed the second he tossed his phone aside and continued working on his homework all while feeling just a little bit accomplished for having screwed with the man.

*********

Stiles' dream that night was just as vivid as every night before this one. One minute he was in his bed and the next he was running as a wolf through the preserve.

_ His wolf gave a happy yip as it’s companion raced off ahead of it, luring him forward. He gave a bark as he chased after the other lupine form. Calling out to it in more than one way, Stiles wanted to know. Needed to know who it was. Maybe he was wrong, maybe it was just a wolf. Something in him said otherwise and he gave chase with all the fervor as he had all the nights before. Paws padding onto the dry earth below him, nails digging into the foliage as he raced by. Jumping over small obstacles on his path to the Alpha. Happy calls came unbidden from his throat, a signal to his pack that he was there. That he was happy and wanted to be with them. The answering howl had his very bones vibrating, an invitation to come and be with the wolf. To be pack. Still it felt like the wolf was getting further and further ahead of him like Stiles couldn’t hope to catch up. This had never happened before, he’d always raced alongside the wolf if not a little behind. Yet it’s form was just far enough in the distance to make his fears a reality. A growing pit in his stomach rose up as Stiles and his wolf realized that it could leave him behind, leave him alone. A lone wolf didn’t survive in the wild. An Omega without a pack. _

Stiles jerked upright in bed panting, sweat sliding down his brow. He licked his lips tasting the salt as further trails polled into his clavicle from his neck. Stiles took a few shuddering breaths to try and get his racing heart under control. His dreams had changed or maybe it was just tonight’s dream? Was he becoming too obsessed with finding out who the wolf was? Is that what had changed his dreams? Lifting his hands to card it through his damp hair Stiles stopped. His hands were shaking. He frowned at the sight of them, the small tremors caused an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach uneasily reminiscent of how he and the wolf had felt when being left behind. It took a moment for him to proceed with his intended action, letting his fingers card through his dampened hair as he took a few slow breaths. He was fine. Nothing was wrong. 

************

Stiles wasn’t even sure what made him pull Scott aside the next day, all he knew was something was vibrating under his skin and it made him feel itchy. Scott was confused as he was by being suddenly pulled away from the other students they sometimes associated with, but any questions were put on hold as Stiles dragged his best friend into a nearby classroom.

“What’s going on?”

“I-I need to talk to you.”

“Okay?” Scott gave him a curious smile. “What’s going on?”

Stiles took a deep breath, how the hell did he go about this? Stupid question, it was Scott, direct and to the point. Nodding to himself, Stiles gave a weak smile back and stated. “I’ve..I’ve been having dreams.”

“Stiles I don’t want to know what you-”

“Shut up!”

Scott balked at the sudden anger in his friend's voice, sudden lashing out that was so distinct from his friend’s usual goofy attitude. Real concern morphed upon the teen’s face as he paid attention. “Stiles? What’s wrong.”

Now that his friend was paying attention Stiles was able to gasp out. “I-I’m having dreams about the wolf.”

“The wolf...You mean ‘The wolf.”

Stiles glared at Scott, in a seething tone questioning. “Do you know any other wolves Scott? Of course that wolf!”

“Right. Okay, what are they about?”

“Running.”

“Running.”

Stiles knew it sounded dumb, but that was the gist of them. “Yes Scott running, I’m running through the preserve.”

Scott shrugged, as far as dreams went that wasn’t something altogether alarming. “Doesn’t seem so bad.”

“It wasn’t...Not at first. It was kinda peaceful ya know?” Scott nodded. “I wasn’t alone either, there was another wolf there.”

“Another one?” The perplexed tone of his friend's voice almost relieved him. He wasn’t as crazy as he thought he was if Scott was just as confused as he was.

“Yeah...I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out why that is.”

“Is it me?”

Stiles shook his head. 

“Are you sure? I’m like the only person it could be dude, I’m a wolf.”

Stiles shook his head once more, he knew now without a shadow of a doubt that it wasn’t Scott. How did he know this? Stiles couldn’t tell you, it was just something deep inside him that knew. “It’s not you and I can’t figure out who else it might be.”

Scott hummed. “Are you sure it’s anyone? Maybe it’s just a wolf.”

“I’m sure. It’s someone, I just can’t figure out who.” He shook his head and then in a more alert tone explained. “But last night, the dream changed. The wolf didn’t stay with me, didn’t run beside me.” He gave his friend an imploring look. “It left me behind. Alone.”

Scott was frowning upon seeing the shift in Stiles as if his friend was worried. “Okay...Is that a bad thing?”

“YES!”

Scott held up his hands in a surrendered way. “Alright alright sheesh.”

Stiles shook his head frantically, his hands coming up to go through his hair in his agitation. “Somethings wrong and I don’t know what.”

Scott sighed at how worked up Stiles was making him. “Alright...We’ll figure this out. Maybe Deaton will know something about it, could just be side effects from your weird vision quest thing right?”

“Yeah...Yeah just side effects.”

“I bet the wolf leaving you is just because it’s all over.” Scott gave him a beaming look.

Stiles returned it and for once was grateful that his friend was too oblivious to know that it wasn’t a genuine smile. “Right. Thanks Scott.”

“I’ll tell Deaton when I go in today okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Scott patted his shoulder before heading out of the classroom. Leaving Stiles in his wake, Stiles stared after the form of his best friend. The itchy sensation that had been plaguing him since he woke up wasn’t as bad. Something had shifted, changed somehow between now and then. Yet Stiles could swear that it had been in full effect before he’d talked to Scott. Huffing out a loud breath, Stiles forced himself to head off to class. He was going to be late if he didn’t get going, Scott was probably right. It was just some side effect and it was going away.

**********

Stiles dreamed yet again that night. As much as he prayed he wouldn’t, that Scott was right somehow and that the previous night's dream was some kind of sign of it all ending. That his talk with Deaton had just been a self-fulfilling prophecy of it all being over with and that dreams were just that, dreams. It wasn’t. When he fell asleep that night Stiles found himself once more transported into the preserve. His form a wolf.

_ Stiles was alone, laying in the dirt in the middle of the preserve. Climbing to his feet his head craned around to see if anyone was nearby. If the other wolf was nearby. There was nothing. It was silent in the forest, no sounds at all. No birds, no rabbits, nothing. It made his hackles rise, made him afraid. Something was desperately wrong in the preserve and Stiles wasn’t sure where it was coming from or what might have caused it. _ _ Before he could stop himself he lifted his head and let out a long sorrowful howl. Desperately calling out to his pack, to signal he was there. That he needed them. His ears went upright at the distant howl that replied, he was off. Bolting in the direction he thought the howl had come from, paws eating up the ground in his urgency to find his pack. He let out more howls as he ran, not as effective but still there. Something to show that he was on his way, not to leave him behind, that he was coming. The howl that returned seemed farther away. Like he wasn’t getting any closer to it, this continued for some time before Stiles found himself sliding to a stop stirring up a small dust cloud as he skidded to an abrupt halt. Letting out a howl that shook the forest around him Stiles waited to hear a reply, a signal that the pack, the other wolf was there. There was no reply. His pack was gone. He was alone. He was an Omega. _

Stiles woke the following morning, his heart still beating rapidly in his chest despite not having been jerked out of the dream-like before. He licked his dry lips and tasted more salt, his skin felt tight. Sitting up got him a groan as his body protested the movement, everything ached. Every muscle, every fiber, hell it even felt like his bones were aching. Like if he moved they might snap from the force of him trying to get them to work as they were supposed to. He glared down at himself, angry that his body was fighting him so hard all because of some messed up dreams. There was something wrong with him, he’d survived the damn spell what else was he supposed to do? He wasn’t a wolf. The teen glared, his fingers tightening into hard fists that bunched up the blankets between fingers. What was he supposed to do?

“Stiles time to get up!”

Stiles’ eyes bolted towards the door, his glare still in place. He couldn’t go to school like this, he refused. So like a petulant child Stiles fell backward back onto his bed and curled onto his side. Back towards the door and prayed that by some miracle his father would leave for the station before daring to check to see if he was up. Despite all the odds being against him that week, his prayers were answered. 

His father calling up to his room a few minutes later. “I’m heading out son. See you tonight.” 

Stiles didn’t bother to reply, there was nothing he wished to say. The telltale sound of the front door shutting followed shortly by the sounds of his father's cruiser had Stiles sighing in relief. He could stay at home, get some rest, and figure out what he needed to do. Because there had to be something that he could do if these dreams weren’t going away on their own. Stiles wasn’t even aware when he had fallen asleep, all he knew was when the dream pulled him under.

_ He was alone. Packless. Omega. Still he slowly walked through the forest, searching. Searching for what Stiles wasn’t sure, pack? Food? Safety? None of it made sense to him as he wandered. His head craning this way and that to see if there were any signs of life. There weren’t. No sounds of birds or other animals, no sounds of water or the wind. Just absolute silence, the kind that sank into your body and produced a kind of fear that most explained away as paranoia. For Stiles however this was real. Felt real. He struggled to amend as his human psyche fought the urge to sink fully into the wolf. He forced his wolf body forward, struggling with each step he took. He was thirsty. He was hungry. He was tired. He was alone. When the wolf came to a stop near a large tree, it all but fell to its hindquarters. Sliding down to rest its head on its paws. There was nowhere left to go. No matter how far he traveled or how long he walked. There was nothing out there for him. The strength was leaving him, he was brittle and cracked. Failing. The wolf let out a mournful howl. None answered his call. _

Stiles gasped, his eyes taking a moment to translate his surroundings. For his brain to realize that he was safe, at home. He was in his bedroom. Swallowing against the dryness of his throat, the teen forced himself to sit up despite the aches and pains in his body. For a time he just sat there, leaning up against his headboard. Unsure what he should do. He was so tired and no matter how long he tried to rest the wolf refused to let him sleep. Something was wrong, but Stiles didn’t know what. He grew angry again, agitated by his body's failure to show him what he was supposed to do. The dreams weren’t showing him what to do. How to fix himself. His hand came out unbidden and threw the lamp from his nightstand, causing the bulb to shatter and the lamp fixture to roll on the ground. Stiles tilted his head back, not making a sound as tears began to leak out the corners of his eyes.

“What am I supposed to do?”

A small ping had his head tilting to the side as if it was the answer to his question, his phone was on the edge of his nightstand having nearly been knocked over by his tantrum with the lamp. Giving an annoyed look at his phone, Stiles reached out a trembling arm to snatch the device up. Unlocking it Stiles found that he had missed quite a few messages from Scott. The miscellaneous messages all pertained to where the hell he was, why he was ditching school, and asking why he hadn’t informed Scott of his plans to do so. As if Stiles had some greater plot against going to school than feeling like utter crap. Grimacing Stiles found his fingers going across the keyboard to type out a simple message.

‘Did you talk to Deaton?’

It took a few minutes, more than likely because Scott was having to hide his phone while in class. Still the little spinning icon came to a stop just before Scott’s message came through.

‘Sorry. Forgot. Are you okay?’

Stiles snorted, finding that question hilarious given his current state. Before he could stop himself Stiles replied. ‘Peachy. Just having psycho wolf dreams is all.’

A small delay before Scott’s message replied. ‘Maybe you should go see mom.’

Stiles loved his best friend, but Scott could be dense and this was one of those moments. As if Melissa could fix what was wrong with him like this was some kind of illness that only she could diagnose. Stiles had been a wolf for god sake, how was a nurse supposed to fix any head case trauma from that? Stiles found himself glaring down at his phone as if his anger could travel through his message to his best friend. It couldn’t, but that didn’t stop Stiles from replying.

‘She can’t help me. I’ll figure this out.’

Stiles sighed figuring that was the end of it, he’d have to figure this out. He was sure that he could convince Deaton to let him read the book himself, but that would mean admitting to what was wrong to the druid and that was something altogether against what Stiles wished to do. Maybe he could find something on the internet, that was a far better outcome than asking the vet for help. Nodding to himself the teen struggled to get up out of bed and to the computer chair less than five steps away, it felt like miles to his aching body. It was only after he had finally gotten himself situated in his chair that his phone went off again. Stiles glanced down at it and with a huff looked at what Scott had said.

‘Alright, sounds good. Let me know how it goes.’

Stiles' hand tightened around his phone. Scott wasn’t even all that concerned was he? He was fine staying at school while Stiles slowly lost his mind. Gritting his teeth Stiles threw his phone aside with far more force than strictly needed. Booting up his computer the teen scoured the internet for the next four hours, research was his thing, after all. Sadly, no matter how good Stiles was digging up the truth about the supernatural he got nothing for his trouble this time around. At his wit's end, Stiles let his head come down on the surface of his desk with a dull thunk.

“I’m screwed,” Stiles muttered to himself. Scott was of no help, he was hesitant to tell Deaton anything as he knew that would end with him visiting the man to deal with whatever magical voodoo shit he’d want to try on Stiles. The teen had no desire to be that man’s lab rat, even if he distantly acknowledged that the druid was the best bet when it came to solving his little wolf issue. Stiles couldn’t bother Derek or his pack, after all they’d done for him when he’d dragged them all into this in the first place. That brought Stiles back to the inevitable conclusion, the truth that he could no longer shy away from. 

He was totally screwed.


	7. packless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is forced to meet with Deaton as he and Derek strive to understand why he's having dreams of a dying wolf

Stiles had dragged himself back to bed after his many failed attempts to research what was wrong with himself and the inevitable breakdown that resulted from his failure. He’d listlessly fallen back to sleep only to have the same terrifying dreams as before. His wolf wandering, howling for a pack that never came only to fall beside a tree to die. Because that was, in fact, what Stiles found out it was doing, after a few times of the same dream he figured it out. He was dying or more accurately the wolf was. How that translated to him Stiles wasn’t exactly sure, but the small naps he got over the remainder of the day were anything but restful. Seeing the same damn thing over and over again tended to make one's mood sour. Soon enough Stiles found himself sitting up in bed, waiting. For what he wasn’t sure, all he truly knew was that he was going to have to explain to his father why he didn’t go to school. That conversation wouldn’t go very well if Stiles knew his father half as well as he thought he did, it was one thing to say he was sick and stay home with his dad’s permission it was another thing entirely to bail without any heads up. He’d have to find some way to hide just how horrible he felt unless he wanted to be forced to a doctors office where he would no doubt be forced to undergo a series of increasingly invasive tests as they wouldn’t be able to find anything wrong with him and his dad wouldn’t let them leave without some kind of answer. The man’s fear of diagnosis like his mother had a way of making his dad hound doctors for answers anytime Stiles did get sick and he was in no hurry to deal with that roller coaster. 

Stiles had ignored the other pings of incoming messages throughout the rest of the afternoon, knowing it was Scott. Knowing that his best friend wasn’t so much asking for an update on his health as wanting to talk about the hot girl in his history class or how he’d made an awesome catch in lacrosse practice. The abandonment that sprung up from Scott’s dismissal of his own problems stung so Stiles didn’t reply, he simply sat on his bed and waited. It seemed like from one blink to the next the sun began to set. He’d lost track of time even though the teen knew he hadn’t fallen back to sleep as he hadn’t dreamt of anything. Was it possible to fall asleep with your eyes open? Not that it ultimately mattered seeing as he didn’t feel any better if he had managed such a feat.  The conversation that he had with his dad when the man returned home that night, after having heard from the school about Stiles’ absence hadn’t been good but everything was dulled down. Like the volume on the world itself was being cranked down without Stiles in control of the remote, the teen coasted through the argument, well the more one-sided stern talking too from his dad about warning him if he was going to stay home sick. A half haphazard examination and a tired-looking teen at least garnered him some sympathy, but not much. It was clear Stiles’ dad didn’t appreciate being called by the school at the end of the day wishing to know why the sheriff hadn’t informed them of Stiles’ absence beforehand and then having to say that no, he didn’t know where his son was. Stiles watched numbly as his dad shook his head and left the room, telling him to get some rest because he looked pretty out of it. 

Stiles felt out of it, though he didn’t say as much. Far too occupied with staring ahead at the wall across from his bed where he lay against the bedspread. The world around him seemed to dim once he was left alone, nothing to distract him from the cavernous space of his brain which radiated a wrongness that Stiles couldn’t comprehend. Stiles sat there, staring ahead at the wall for a long time, how long the teen wasn’t sure as he’d zoned out. 

The window of the teen’s room came open. Stiles wasn’t cognizant enough to realize that he was being paid another impromptu visit by the resident Alpha of Beacon Hills. Stiles was too lost in himself, in the wolf plaguing his dreams to stay in reality as he struggled to find some meaning to what he was feeling and what those dreams were really about. At the barest of terms, Stiles knew that the wolf needed a pack, that was all that mattered now. If they didn’t have a pack then they would die.

Derek frowned as he climbed into Stiles' room, he was once more being forced to check on the boy by his pack. Apparently, Stiles had skipped school and although Scott was acting perfectly normal, Erica had said that when questioned where Stiles was by a teacher the boy had shrugged and replied that he didn’t know. That had sparked enough of a concern in the cocky girl to have her confirming with the other betas on whether or not Stiles had appeared in the other classes. He hadn’t.  His betas had wanted to come themselves, but each had their own responsibilities they had to see to before they were allowed to be free enough to spend time with the pack. Isaac had to show face with his foster family, ensure that they didn’t assume he was on drugs with how late he got in as he commonly snuck about so as to be with the pack more often than they might otherwise allow. The blonde even going so far as to say that his foster family thought he was in some kind of gang or dealing drugs despite them having tested Isaac on a near-weekly basis. Boyd had to help Erica study for a math test at her house seeing as her family was still adjusting to her being ‘cured’ of her epilepsy and Erica had to study for said math test without ending up in bed with Boyd. Derek wasn’t about to try and police that, so when the Beta’s fears about Stiles had him being urged to check on the teen Derek had been forced to do so but putting it off until he was sure it was absolutely unavoidable. It was the phone call from Deaton that had the Alpha realizing that this wasn’t some overbearing nagging from his Beta’s who were concerned for the teen but something broader than that. Now having arrived in the teen’s room Derek discovered the boy sitting upright in bed, motionless and ignorant to his appearance despite him having stood beside his bed for nearly five minutes.

“Stiles.”

Like some kind of cosmic collision, Stiles’ mind snapped back to reality like a snapped rubber band and as a result of this Stiles flailed and fell to the floor in a heap in front of the wolf who took a hasty step back to avoid being hit.

“God damn it!”

“Stiles are you alright?” His father's voice filtered up from the ground floor. Stiles stared up at Derek his eyes widening when he seemed to realize what had happened. That Derek had startled him, he’d fallen off his bed like an idiot and humiliating himself in front of said werewolf. Derek stared at Stiles. The Alpha scowled, jerked his hand towards the door before hissing out at him. “Do something.”

Nodding Stiles scrambled to his feet and wrenched his door open, frantically calling down to his dad before the man could even think about coming upstairs to check on him. “I’m good! Fell over in my chair.”

There was a long drawn out sigh from downstairs. “Be careful.”

“Sure thing daddio!” Stiles slammed his door shut and sighed only to yelp as he was spun around and pinned to the door. “What?” Stiles hissed back at the glowering Alpha.

“You didn’t go to school and Deaton says you ignored his warning about something be-”

Stiles shoved back against the wolf surprising the Alpha into silence as Stiles poked Derek in the chest. “No.” The teen shook his head before angrily correcting the Alpha. “I did nothing, but study for my chem test like a normal teenager when he called me out of the blue doing his mystical ways bullshit.”

Derek glared down at the boy's finger still poking him in the chest. Stiles seemed to become aware of what he was doing because not a moment later he jerked his hand back as if he’d been burned. Sighing as he registered just what he’d done Stiles muttered. “Sorry. I’m tired and I didn’t want to deal with his mystical voodoo shit the other day and I can only imagine what he might have said to you if he bothered to call you...The nosey bastard that he is.” Derek's scowl remained firmly in place. “Well screw you too.” Stiles huffed as he walked around the wolf to slump into his desk chair. Once there he pulled his notes for English class forward and snatched up his pen to continue writing the notes that he hadn’t touched all day but were a great diversion from the wolf looming in his bedroom.

“Deaton said that there was something wrong.”

Stiles hummed, that wasn’t a big surprise to Stiles mostly because he knew there was something wrong. That didn’t, however, mean he wasn’t curious to know what Deaton said. “Did he say what that something was?”

“No.”

“Big surprise there.”

Derek frowned at how snappish the teen was all while avoiding his gaze. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” Stiles spun around in his chair and gave the Alpha a tired look as he was being forced to deal with this when he really wanted nothing more than to figure out what was up with his dreams. “What’s wrong with you?” He countered. “You keep dropping by to check up on me. In the process nearly giving me heart attacks, but the sentiment is still nice if not confusing as hell. Why’d Deaton call you?”

Derek shook his head. “The pack was worried,” Derek replied stiffly, needing to keep himself out of this if he could. “Deaton called me and said it was about the book.”

“Did he say what about the book?” Stiles huffed when Derek shook his head. “Well, you can tell the others that I’m still alive and that Deaton’s an asshole. We talked the other day and he got in a tizzy cause I wouldn’t do what he wanted, that’s all.”

Derek didn’t believe that was the end of it, Deaton wasn’t just going to call up Derek to check in on Stiles. He knew the boy wasn’t a member of his pack, there would be no practical reason for him to come all the way over here to check on Stiles. Scott would have been a better choice given the two teen’s connections, but the druid had insinuated that it had to do with the book and that Derek was the more suitable choice for dealing with this. 

“ Scott would have been a better choice.”

Stiles blinked back at the wolf, confused for a moment. “Right...Yeah and?” Derek shrugged, Stiles snorted. “So what I’m getting from all of this is that Deaton is and probably always will be a cryptic asshole.”

“He said there was something wrong.”

Stiles groaned as Derek repeated what he’d already said, the Alpha was literally like a dog with a bone. “Yes. I’m tired and sore Derek. I’m having fucked up dreams and not sleeping well because of it. There is nothing mystical or supernatural about having dreams.” Stiles knew he was lying to himself, but he had to because the alternative was far too scary to be reality. Derek didn’t seem overly convinced. “Are you planning on dragging me to Deaton’s against my will?” Stiles couldn’t help but question given the Alpha’s current expression. Derek didn’t acknowledge him, instead choosing to pull out his phone and call someone. Stiles rolled his eyes before returning towards his homework idly listening in to what the Alpha might have to say to the druid.

“He’s fine.”

Stiles snorted in the background, not aware of the glare he was receiving from Derek for the noise. 

“No.”

Stiles shook his head as he continued writing notes. He could hear the random answers Derek was giving the vet, but swiftly tuned it out as it was clear that the monotoned one-word answers wouldn't give him an insight into what the two were talking about, he continued to scribble in his notebook. 

“Alright...Hold on.”

As if somehow aware that something pertaining to his person was about to happen, Stiles twirled around. “What’s he want now?” Derek didn’t answer him, the Alpha knelt down in front of his chair earning a chuckle from Stiles. A nervous chuckle as Derek had never once prostrated himself in front of him let alone acted this weird “Seriously? What are you doing? Is this some kind of knighting ceremony cause I don’t have a sword...Get up th-” Derek growled, his eyes flashing red. Stiles jerked back into his seat and blinked a few times in surprise to the sudden aggression. Derek was frowning at him, Stiles sputtered reflexively as he fought not to think about the utter shiver than went up his spine. “What? You're the one growling at people.” The Alpha put his phone back to his ear all while he continued to stare back at Stiles, pinning the boy in place. “His eyes flared.”

“Say what now?” Stiles was all ears now, that wasn’t the outcome he had been anticipating from Derek’s little show of Alpha wolfiness.

“No. Not...Not like ours. Different.”

“Derek? What’s going on?” Stiles was beginning to freak out a little because freaky dreams were one thing, horrible side effects from bad dreams were alarming but flaring eyes was a BIG FUCKING DEAL. Derek was watching him like he was somehow broken and he did not like that. Not one bit because if someone like Derek thought Stiles was broken than he probably was.

“Alright. We’re on our way.” Derek shoved his phone into his pocket and stood. “Come on, were going to Deaton’s.”

Stiles didn’t even argue, just rose from his chair with a nod. “Sure.” As he rose the teen bit his lip and dared to question “Did-Did they rea-” Derek nodded back at him. “Well shit, why couldn’t it have just been dreams?” Stiles huffed to the Alpha’s surprise, the pensive look Derek gave him spurned Stiles into asking abruptly. “What? All I was trying to do was figure out my stupid dreams and now I have glowing wolf eyes and I am distinctly not a wolf!”

Derek shook his head, he wasn’t sure what part Stiles’ dreams might play in this whole thing but the teen getting worked up wouldn’t help them. “Calm down. We need to head to Deaton's. It’s probably some...Side effect.”

“Side effect?” Stiles laughed maniacally. “Side effect Derek? Since when is glowing eyes a side effect?!” Derek growled his eyes flaring in impatience, Stiles went stalk still a moment before sighing as that familiar zing went up his spine. “That...That really sucks.”

Derek eyed at him cautiously.“You felt it?” 

Stiles gave a jerky nod. “Th-I don’t like that.”

“Get down to your jeep. I’ll be waiting.”

Stiles knew it was a ridiculous question, but he still voiced it. “What am I supposed to tell my dad? We literally just fought about me doing shady stuff without his consent.”

“Anything.” And just like that Derek strode over to the window and disappeared.

“Anything? Seriously? My dad’s the sheriff!” He exclaimed out the window, he knew Derek could hear him. Not that Stiles expected a reply, he certainly didn’t get one either way. Slamming his window down with more force than necessary. Stiles quickly threw all his schoolwork into his backpack, took a deep breath, and ventured down the stairs in some faux attempt to be normal. The lie flowed off of his tongue with ease and as ashamed as he should have been upon realizing how simple it was to lie to his dad, Stiles ignored it and pushed forward.

“Scott’s have a crisis of epic proportions.

“What now?” His father laughed at his son’s sudden entrance.

“Apparently he’s not aware of how one plus one equals two. Something like that.” Stiles gesticulated with his hands. “Which leaves it up to me to teach the poor sap. I’ll crash at his place once I’m done rescuing his grade if it takes too long.”

His father chuckled. “Drive safe.”

“I’ll see you later.” Stiles waved over his shoulder as he all but ran out the door. Once it was shut behind him did he huff, Derek was already in the passenger side of his beloved jeep. Stiles glared at the Alpha as he ran to the driver's side and wrenched the door open.

“You suck.”

“Drive.”

Throwing his bag in the back where it would most likely stay during this farce, Stiles started the temperamental jeep up and pulled out of the driveway. The journey to Deaton’s was filled with silence, neither of them trying to talk and neither brave enough to turn on the radio.

It wasn’t until they pulled into the parking lot that Derek spoke. “You should text Scott so he knows to cover for you.”

Stiles snorted at how behind the times Derek was, he tilted his head towards the wolf and smirked. “He already knows.”

“How?”

“Bro code. His mom calls me I know exactly where he is if my dad calls him it’s the same.” Stiles shrugged to the confused wolf. “We grew up together. It’s kinda...Instinct.” The teen smirked as he pushed open the door and slid from the jeep. Derek scowled after him but didn’t argue. The pair made it to the back door where Deaton was waiting. Stiles glared at him, not at all repentant as a bit of his frustration tainted his voice into something a bit more malicious than friendly. “Hey, doc what’s up?”

Deaton gave him an appraising look as the teen passed him by to enter the back of the vet’s office without waiting for the druid, he sighed before giving Derek one that spoke of patience. Derek didn’t seem to care as he shouldered past the man right after the teen and entered the back following in Stiles’ footsteps. Stiles was already in the process of playing with things on the druid’s desk when Deaton came inside. 

He gave the boy an irritated look. “Put that down.”

“Tell me why I’m suddenly different and I might?” Stiles gave the man a firm look all the while still playing with the random things he found at the desk he was leaning against. He stared the man down or at least that’s what Stiles thought he was doing.

Deaton smirked at the teen’s attempts to hold some sway over this conversation, he ignored it in favor of requesting. “Flare your eyes.”

Stiles groaned as the man immediately assumed that he knew what he was doing, that he had suddenly gained the ability to flare his eyes and had just decided to use it as a parlor trick rather than coming for help. Stiles refused to acknowledge that he’d kinda done that about the dreams, dreams were different. “For the love of God, I didn’t even know they were doing it.” Stiles glanced towards Derek and in a strained tone said. “Tell him.”

“He’s not aware. He doesn’t have control over them.”

“Thank you.” Stiles huffed as he went back to playing with the medical instrument just to spite the druid. Deaton gave Derek a look which had the wolf glaring, but when the druid raised a brow Derek turned his gaze away from Deaton to stare at Stiles. “Stiles.”

The boy glanced up. “Huh?”

Derek flared his eyes, causing the boys own to flare, Stiles took a small step back before catching himself and glaring. “You did the thing didn’t you? To get mine to-” Derek smirked. “Asshole.” Stiles sent the full heat of his glare towards Deaton. “Well?”

“That is not a traditional color of werewolves eyes.”

“Well then lucky for us because I’m not a werewolf!” Stiles shouted.

Deaton gave him an appraising look. “No, you are not.”

Stiles seemed relieved to hear that. “So...You have some kind of root or magical drink I can use to get rid of the eye thing cause it sounds to me like some kind of supernatural pink eye situation.” Stiles sent a look towards Derek. “Right?” The Alpha glared in return, shaking his head Stiles turned his sights back towards Deaton when the man spoke and ruined all his hard deceptions he’d made for himself. 

“No.” Stiles groaned. “Sit on the table.” Deaton patted it as he walked back into his office. Stiles gave Derek a pleading look, the Alpha raised a brow.

“You suck.” The boy complained as he hopped up onto the table. Derek rolled his eyes at the boy's petty argument. When Deaton came back out he was holding the book that Scott had mistakenly read from.

“OH NO NO NO. Get that away from me.” Stiles balked, jumping from the table and putting it between himself and Deaton all while shaking his head and making an X with his arms over his chest. “Nope, not happening, I’ve already gotten a storytime with that shit and I did not enjoy it the first time around.”

Deaton gave the boy a small smile as the teen rallied against coming any closer. “It’s harmless Stiles. I’m not going to be reading from it. I merely wished to show you something.”

Stiles glared, not in the least bit interested. “I’m good thanks.”

“Please seat yourself on the table, I assure you that nothing else will happen as far as the book is concerned.”

“Does that mean you’re something I should be concerned about?” Stiles threw out in jest.

Sighing the druid brought it forward regardless of the boy's wishes. Turning to the appropriate page he pointed down to something, Stiles leaned forward over the table which was still protecting him in some way or so he lied to himself. He looked to see what the man was pointing at only to sputter and cough when Deaton threw something in his face. Derek growled as Stiles threw his head this way and that coughing. Deaton showed his empty hands to Derek, assuring the Alpha that he meant no ill intent towards him as Derek’s eyes had flared and he’d taken a step forward in a clearly aggressive nature. Derek’s gaze went to Stiles as the boy fell backward his only saving grace from not hitting the floor being Derek who caught the teen. Derek shot a glare towards the druid, a dark growl forming as he held Stiles even as the drugged teen managed to slur.

“Fuc-ck...yo-”

Stiles collapsed against the Alpha, forcing Derek to take the brunt of the boy’s now dead weight. “Deaton,” Derek growled as he hoisted the teen up so as not to drop him, a quick glance to the teen found that Stiles' eyes were open, but he clearly wasn’t aware let alone in control over his own body. 

“He’s alright.” Derek's head jerked up to glare at the druid. “He is alright,” Deaton assured him as he patted the table once more. “If you’d be so kind.”

Derek growled at the druid, not liking this in the least but with no other alternative, the Alpha was forced to lift Stiles up onto the table. He had no idea what Deaton had used against the teen, let alone how to get rid of it so he was forced to trust the man for the time being.

Deaton came over to shine a light in the boy's eyes, humming as they flared as all supernatural eyes did. “Hmm.” 

The wolf growled, managing to grit out through a clenched jaw. “Was that wolfsbane?”

“No.” Deaton murmured, sparing a glance up to the wolf. “It’s nothing harmful to him or you.” 

Derek nodded but his glare remained in place. Deaton trailed off into his office once more Derek eyes following him until he was gone. They shot back onto the teen who was prone, eyes open, and yet unseeing. If it weren’t for the boys breathing and heartbeat Derek would fear the boy dead. It left Derek feeling unsettled, he’d brought the boy here to find answers, not be drugged against his will.

“Here we are.” Derek’s head whipped around to see Deaton carrying something.

“What is that?”

Deaton didn’t answer as brought the cup forward. “He needs to drink this.”

“Then you should wake him up.” Derek threw back at the man.

The druid shook his head. “No, I’m afraid that won't be possible. His wolf wouldn’t like that.”

“Wolf? He’s not a wolf.” The Alpha argued right away, glaring at the Druid for assuming such a thing. Stiles didn’t smell like a wolf, didn’t act like one...Well, his eyes did and he had reacted to Derek’s growl but that didn’t make him a wolf. 

Deaton gave him a look. “His eyes flared.”

“He’s not a wolf, he changed back,” Derek argued.

“He did.” Deaton agreed easily. “Though it would seem that it wasn’t permanent.”

“What?” Derek’s voice was weak as he processed the implications. “He’s going to change back into the wolf?”

Deaton hummed, his eyes seeking out the form of the teenager who was oblivious to their conversation about him. “I didn’t think that he would have lasting effects.”

“But you knew something,” Derek snarled when he caught onto the man’s common behavior of leaving information out until it was absolutely necessary.

“I felt no reason to alarm you since it appeared that Stiles had returned to normal, it was obsolete given the circumstances then.”

“And now look at him!” The wolf waved his hand towards the teen.

“Yes. Well, a miscalculation on my part I assure you.” The druid returned to perusing the book before musing aloud. “Dreams.”

“What?”

Deaton didn’t bother to look up. “Just a notation.”

“You said dreams.”

Deaton frowned as he glanced up. “This has meaning to you?”

Derek glanced at Stiles. “He had a dream.”

“Yes I was told as much, but that was a few days ago now and could be ruled out-”

“No, he had more.”

“When?”

“It started the day after he returned to normal...But he’s had more since then.” 

“Did he say what it was about?”

“He was the wolf,” Derek replied coolly all while staring into the boy's blank eyes. “He was running the preserve, said there was another wolf with him.”

“Hmm. Another wolf?” Derek nodded. “And did he say who this other wolf was?”

Derek turned to stare at the druid, confused about the ramifications for what the dreams might be. “No.”

Deaton acknowledged even as he went to the phone. “What are you doing?”

“Calling Scott to see if he knows more.”

Derek couldn’t restrain the growl that left his chest. Deaton sent him a poignant look that had Derek glaring back at the vet when the man implied that he was being unreasonable. They stared back at each other or rather Derek glared back at an impassive Deaton while the man began to talk to Scott upon the teen picking up the phone call.

“Scott. Has Stiles mentioned any dreams lately?”

Derek waited, watching the druid for any signs of what he might be hearing. He really hated Deaton sometimes, the man didn’t react no matter what the werewolf on the other side was saying. 

“Alone?”

“I see.”

“Thank you. No, I was conversing with him about it earlier over the phone and I forgot to ask the frequency of them or if there had been any changes. I believe he wished to spend some time with his father tonight and I didn’t wish to intrude upon their time together simply to sate my curiosity.”

Derek snorted. That was a lie, Deaton didn’t care what he intruded on. Still, the vet remained rather impassive to whatever was going on around him.

“Yes thank you. Goodbye.” No sooner than had the man hung up the phone than did the man admit. “Stiles has been having dreams for the last week, every day.”

Derek grit his teeth. “And neither of them thought to bring it up?!”

“Scott said that Stiles told him that he was having dreams, but neither of them thought much of it. From what Scott had gathered Stiles was finding them interesting, up until they began to change. The boy said that the dreams had changed over the last two days. Stiles informing him that he wasn’t running as the wolf with a pack anymore, he was alone.” The vet glanced towards the human sitting on his exam table. “Stiles was apparently quite distraught about it.”

Derek glanced towards the teen. “Distraught by a dream about him being a wolf?”

“More than likely the fact that his wolf was no longer a member of a pack.” The druid mused. “He said his wolf was alone. Packless.”

“Omega,” Derek interjected.

“Yes.” Deaton motioned towards Stiles. “I can only assume that whatever was happening in those dreams have to do with how he reacting now.” The vet met Derek’s gaze assuring him. “He is not a werewolf.”

“I already knew that.” Derek gritted out. Stiles didn’t smell like a werewolf and despite his eyes flaring there was no real proof that he had turned into a werewolf, even then his eyes hadn’t been a normal color for a Beta wolf. No, the teen’s eyes were a startling shade of blue, supernatural even among wolves, unlike his own had been at one time.

“Yes well, given the information I’ve gathered along with these dreams that Stiles has been having. I believe I know what’s going on.” The druid walked back over to the discarded book, flipping it around and pushing it towards Derek. The Alpha glared even as he leaned closer all while maintaining a safe distance between himself, the table, and more importantly Deaton. He didn’t trust the man not to do something like what he’d done to Stiles. There was a drawing depicting a few animals including that of a wolf along with a few lines of text in a language Derek couldn’t hope to decipher.

“And?” He glared up at Deaton.

“Stiles isn’t a werewolf, he was sent on a quest to make peace with something he didn’t have, something he longed for.”

“He made peace already.” Derek reminded the man in a firm tone. “He knows that I’ll give him the bite when and if he decides to take it, that he doesn’t have to take it now.” The exasperated Alpha all but shouted.

“Yes.” Deaton agreed. “You’re correct he knows all of those things. The only real problem is that Stiles wasn’t distraught about not being a wolf Derek.”

That paused the Alpha in his tracks. “What?”

“Stiles was distraught about being without a pack. You told him that humans were members of packs correct?”

Derek begrudgingly replied. “I told him about the Hale pack.”

“Right, but you didn’t include him into your pack in that description did you?” The druid informed the quiet Alpha. “He was at peace with not being a wolf, but that’s not what allowed him to transform back into a human.” Deaton's eyes traversed over the statue like form of Stiles. “He transformed back into a human because you asked him to, Scott told me what happened that night or at least what Stiles informed him of. How Stiles transformed back into himself after having some kind of conversation with you about letting go of the wolf.” 

“I-I didn’t-”

Deaton raised a brow cutting the older wolf off before he could hope to explain away what had taken place. “You didn’t ask him to let go? To change back?”

Derek’s throat seized up, he could distinctly remember telling the boy something similar.

“He did as you asked because he thought of you as his Alpha.”

Derek shook his head. “But he’s not a wolf!”

“He is now.”

Derek’s breath seized in his lungs, it didn’t make sense. How could Stiles be a wolf when he clearly wasn’t? How could Stiles have reacted to all of this simply because of what Derek had done? He’d just been trying to help the teen but somehow he’d caused something to go wrong along the way.

Deaton didn’t even bat an eye as he continued talking. “Stiles changed back into his human form because you as his Alpha requested it. Now I realize you are confused as to how this is possible given he’s not a werewolf, but I never claimed he was a werewolf.” Deaton gave him a wry smirk. “Just that he was a wolf. Which he is.” Deaton tapped the page of the book. “The writing here, it states that those who go on this vision quest to find what they are missing are given the chance to gain what they feel they are lacking if they manage to conquer those fears of theirs, a chance to find their true self. Stiles didn’t lose the magic bestowed upon him by the spell as it was never intended to leave him. There were only consequences should he have failed to find peace with what he was searching for, something that you helped solve and in doing so fulfilled the requirements of the spell. In the simplest of terms, the spell is one of the original origins of many of the supernatural creatures we see today.” Deaton snapped the book shut in finality a smile ghosting across his features. “He is not a werewolf because werewolves were the descendants of what he is.”

Derek looked at Stiles carefully, Deaton's words swirling in his brain. “What is he?”

“They’ve been called Orsus.”

“Orsus?”

“It means beginning in Latin, it’s what they were. A beginning.”


	8. Pack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles finds out just how different his encounter with the book has made him, Derek has to come to terms with the aftermath of Stiles' altercation with the book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is folks, the last chapter I hope you've all enjoyed the story and many thanks to all of you who have written comments throughout it.

Derek frowned as he took that in, a beginning. “You said they were the origins for all supernatural-”

“Yes. An Orsus has the opportunity to be anything it truly wishes to be, Stiles chose a wolf. Namely because of his connection to Scott and by extension your pack.”

“So it didn’t have anything to do with the bite?”

“Simply wanting to be a werewolf wouldn’t have allowed such a change to take place, there was a deeper meaning behind it all. Stiles had to come to terms with that deeper meaning in some manner in order for this change to have even taken place, you must have said something to initiate that. As Stiles cannot lie to what his soul knew to be lacking when the magic took hold, the form he picked was the closest to what he desired most. A pack.”

Derek swallowed, his throat having gone dry even as he stood there staring at the comatose teenager. His mind was in turmoil to what this all meant, not only for Stiles but for him and the pack. Looking away from the placid face of the teen, Derek found himself asking. “What’s wrong with him then? If he’s this...Orsus, why is he having dreams? Why did you want him to come here?” 

“Yes...That. He wanted a pack Derek and he’s been without one for a week or so. Surely you know how detrimental it is for a wolf to be torn away from its pack. Just because he’s not a werewolf like yourself doesn’t mean that his Orsus form doesn’t need one as it is a wolf. The dreams themselves were probably his inner wolf trying to tell him to find a pack.”

The Alpha gave a jerk of his head, his betas hated being away from him longer than a day or two. Derek still remembered the feeling of being with his pack and then with Laura, the desire not to go farther than necessary. Stiles had been without any semblance of a pack for a week. “How didn’t someone notice? Scott knows...He refuses to be pack, but he knows.” Derek shook his head as he tried to reason how the other teen might not have noticed. How Stiles hadn’t kicked up more of a fuss about his dreams, let alone asked for help.

“Scott is still learning, despite his qualms about being in your pack. He’s close enough to you and your betas to not be an Omega but that is where he stands. Stiles however is not a werewolf, the only reason he lasted as long as he has was no doubt because he had Scott. I’m under the impression that they are rather physical with one another.”

Derek nodded. He could recall seeing the boys throw their arms over each other on numerous occasions especially after getting into something supernatural and somehow making it out alive. 

“That is what prevented anything truly negative from happening sooner, Scott must have not been as physical with him lately for him to digress to the point where he was dreaming of the wolf in such a state...His contact with your pack or lack thereof is to blame.” Deaton motioned towards the boy. “He needs contact with you or your betas.”

“That’ll fix his dreams?” Deaton gave a nod. “ Then wake him up, he needs to know about this...We need to figure out how this works.”

Deaton sighed, he’d been afraid that the wolf might think this was an easy fix. “Derek this isn’t something that Stiles sh-”

Derek growled a deep thing that radiated the hostility that the fangs and ruby eyes showed plainly.

“Very well. I would appreciate it if you prevented him from accosting me, his wolf will not take my duplicity in dociling Stiles for our conversation well.”

“How much can his wolf come out?”

“Far enough,” Deaton replied coolly as he went to retrieve something. Derek’s eyes fell to that of the teen, he knew once the boy was back in control of himself that there was going to be a lot of yelling. Stiles was not going to be overjoyed to know that he needed Derek’s pack and that being away from the pack for too long would result in his wolf becoming unsettled just like his current Betas. That wasn’t going to be particularly fun to deal with not to mention Derek would have to deal with Scott. Shaking his head the Alpha left those ordeals for later as Deaton returned with something in his hand.

“Is that wolfsbane?” His instincts kicking into gear at the possible threat after everything Deaton had done that night.

Deaton smiled as once again the wolf called into question what he was doing. “No.” The druid walked around to stand beside him and in front of Stiles.

It was as the man came closer that Derek picked up the scent of the cloth, it smelled of some type of herbs. It made his nose twitch but to Derek, it wasn’t anything truly obtrusive. Deaton laid it over Stiles' mouth and nose. It took a few minutes before Stiles jerked, his eyes rolled a bit before they flared that startling blue that was so different than that of Derek’s previous Beta eyes. Stiles jerked upright the cloth falling from his face as he bared his teeth at Deaton. The druid took a hasty step back only to sigh when Derek laid his hand on Stiles' shoulder and called the wolf to heel.

“Stop.” Derek enforced it with his Alpha powers, Stiles' head whipped around and the blue began to fade from his eyes as shock took hold. 

“D-Derek?”

“It’s okay.” The wolf counseled the now confused teenager.

Stiles blinked a few times before his head darted round to Deaton a dark glare in place. “What did you do?” Then because that wasn’t good enough his head whipped back around to Derek. “What’d he do?”

“He knocked you out.”

“Why?!”

“So I could speak with Derek about the new development that your wolf has taken.”

“Say what now?” Stiles glared back at the druid who appeared as calm and collected as ever despite the fact that Stiles’ whole world felt like it was falling over into the deep end.

“Your wolf.”

“I’m not a wolf,” Stiles replied hastily, a sharp glance towards Derek was issued before the teen added. “Even he said so.”

Deaton smirked. “He did.” The man tapped the book, watching on amused as Stiles inched a bit closer to Derek rather than the book to keep some distance between himself and the inanimate object. “The magic that you were involved in is complicated.”

“No shit, I turned into a wolf!”

“And you still are one,” Deaton explained evenly. “You transformed back into your human form by Derek’s request, but you were never going to be just human anymore.”

Stiles slouched a bit as he heard this, he wasn’t human anymore. “W-What...What happened, what am I?” Stiles' head craned round. “What happened?” He asked Derek, a more trustworthy source than the druid who Stiles couldn’t help but think was amused by all of this.

“The book made you into something else.” Derek gruffly explained. “An Orsus, the wolf form you have is...What you are.”

“You chose it,” Deaton interjected. “Subconsciously no doubt but it does have a certain attachment to the issue at hand.”

“Issue at hand?” Stiles bit out. “Issue?! What the fuck man, people don’t just turn into wolves!” Stiles panted then glared back at Derek. “My kind of people, not your kind of people.”

Derek rolled his eyes as the teen felt the need to differentiate between humans and werewolves as if that mattered at a time like this.

“But you do now.” Deaton quipped. “You chose the form of a wolf because it most closely resembled what you wanted most, what you were lacking, and in search of. A pack.”

“I’m human.”

“You were human, but humans can still desire things that are more animalistic in nature and you’ll find that humans are no different at their core. You wanted a pack, to belong.”

Stiles huffed. “That’s just bullshit.”

Deaton raised a brow to the challenging statement. “Is it?”

Stiles glared harder than before, barking out. “Don’t try to Dr. Phil me asshole, lord knows I know enough about the supernatural world now that IF I wanted something I could find a way to get it. IF.”

Deaton hummed back at the irate teen, not believing the boy’s words for a second. “Derek has offered to give you the bite should you want it. But you didn’t have that offer before your transformation.”

“So?”

“So that changes things, just like Derek saying that you’d be a part of the pack no matter if you were human or wolf changed things.”

Stiles frowned, quickly picking up to what the man was implying. He sent a calculating look towards Derek but saw the man steadfastly look away. Oh. Yeah, he got this, Stiles twisted back around and snorted garnering everyone’s attention. “God you can be a dick, I don’t feel a lick of remorse for not coming here to ask your opinion on things. Derek didn’t cause this, Scott caused this. He read from the damn book and whatever mystical ways chose a wolf for me doesn’t matter. Derek got me back to myself.”

“You’re still a wolf.”

Stiles glared at the man’s intrusion to what he’d been saying. “ Yeah, and I’d really like to bite you right about now. Is that doable Mr. Doolittle?” Stiles’s shoulders sagged when he felt Derek’s palm wrap around the back of his neck, whatever that touch might have earlier provoked wasn’t there. The teen just felt...Anchored.

“I did not have anything to do with your subsequent transformation Mr. Stillinski. That you do owe to that book.” He gestured towards it before raising a brow. “Which you have yet to explain how you got ahold of.”

Stiles glared at the man's not subtle question. “I’m not feeling in the sharing and caring mood doc.” Derek’s hand tightened a bit before relaxing some kind of silent warning to not get riled up. Well, Stiles was far past that but he did lessen the threat in his tone when he spoke to the druid. “Screw the book, tell me what I need to know about this wolf thing.”

Deaton sighed as he was once more rebuked, his questions ignored. “Yes, well I would think that it should be easy to understand. The magic latched onto your latent desire of having a pack, the magic itself is far older than you could hope to understand-”

“Try me.”

Deaton didn’t bother with such a thing, simply stating. “It is the creator of all things in the supernatural world.”

“Um...Are you talking about some kind of god?” Derek snorted, earning a pout from the teen even as Deaton chuckled a bit. “Bite me, dude, I don’t have a lot to go on here.”

“Don’t call me dude,” Derek growled.

Stiles shivered a bit at the feeling deep in his bones of the Alpha showing his distaste for something he’d done. Huffing, the teen turned his attention towards Deaton once more. “Well?”

“An Orsus, in Latin it means the beginning which it is. You chose the form of a wolf and that’s what the Orsus is a choice. It’s no different than Derek being a werewolf, though I will go on to say that werewolves are descended from Orsus just like everything else.”

Stiles blinked then uttered in a disbelieving tone. “Are you saying I’m werewolf Jesus?” The glare that Deaton sported had Stiles laughing. “What?” He laughed back. “Come on, even I know that’s bullshit but you have a certain level of douchebaggery when it comes to explaining stuff,” Stiles smirked back at Derek. “Right?”

“You’re not Jesus.”

Stiles snickered at the wolf’s curt reply, shaking his head the teen muttered. “No shit, if I was half the crap that goes on this town wouldn’t happen.” Stiles sent a pensive expression towards Deaton. “So I’m this Orsus thing...Is there any way to go back to just human?” 

“No. Magic is not so reversible.”

“Great.” Stiles huffed, he’d been afraid of that but given how things had worked out for Scott he shouldn’t have been surprised in the least. “Great, so now I’m a wolf...Can I turn back into the wolf? Like is that my superpower or something?” He heard Derek sigh and it made his lips twitch as he fought not to smile at how exasperated he’d managed to make the Alpha. Deaton, however, was far more patient in that regard.

“Yes, you can change back into the wolf. It is your form, no different than the werewolves around you being able to shift.”

“Cool...How do I do that?” Deaton stared back at him blankly, Stiles snorted. “You don’t have a god damn clue do you?” Stiles nodded his head when the man seemed a bit flustered by being caught off guard by the question. “Figures.” The teen sighed and gave Derek a somewhat hopeful expression. “I don’t suppose your family left notes on this?” He was glared at. “Yeah, didn’t think so.” 

“It should come naturally.”

Stiles glared back at the druid. “Naturally? Seriously that’s what you’re going with?! This is natural to Derek, not me.”

“Derek cannot turn into-”

“He at least understands it!” Stiles shouted back at the man, his jaw clenching tightly when Derek’s hand that he had forgotten was around his neck tightened in some kind of gesture to take it easy. Stiles gave a shuddering breath. “Fine.” He bit out tightly. “We’ll figure that out...Somehow. Is there anything else I should know about? Like...Does Wolvesbane work on me?”

Derek stared back at Deaton, the first real question that mattered to the wolf. If he was supposed to take care of Stiles like he was one of his own Beta’s than he’d need to know what the Orsus was susceptible too.

Deaton shook his head chuckling a bit. “Stiles, you’re not a werewolf. Wolfsbane won’t hurt you...Though I’d still advise not to eat it.”

“HA-HA-HA.” Stiles rolled his eyes. “Fine, what does hurt...Me?”

“Mountain ash might restrain you...I honestly don’t know.”

“So...We should like test that.” Stiles drawled before poking the bear once more. “Anything else?”

Deaton cleared his throat before in a rather unimpressed tone of voice uttered. “I will try to find if there are any records of what the Orsus might be susceptible to.”

“Meaning you don’t know,” Stiles smirked, gleeful to find the man caught off guard even if it meant that Stiles had less knowledge on whatever he was now. The subtle look of disdain that crossed the man’s features was well worth it. Stiles craned his head around when Derek broke the standstill between the druid and the Orsus.

“We should get you home.”

Stiles nodded, sliding off the table just as Derek’s hand slid off the back of his neck. Stiles didn’t bother to say another word to Deaton as he headed for the jeep.

“I’ll be right there,” Derek promised as the boy turned to glance at him expectantly when he didn’t follow. 

Stiles nodded. “Five minutes or I ditch you.”

Derek smirked at the teen’s retreating back, the general mood of the boy was souring the atmosphere of the tiny room but it was to be expected given what he’d just learned. The Alpha leveraged a glare so fierce that the druid before him sighed.

“Is your problem that I used something magical against him without his consent or is it because I decided to inform you about his situation before him?”

“Both,” Derek growled. “You don’t get to make choices for him or about him.” The Alpha flared his eyes as his teeth began to shift as he lost his hold on his shift just a bit.

“You realize that he will have an attachment to you for a lifetime.”

Derek’s anger burned out in an instant. “What?”

“You're the Alpha who reigned in his wolf. He’s your Beta for lack of a better term, he’s simply not a werewolf.”

Derek glanced towards the closed doors, he’d thought that maybe somehow being near enough to his pack would be enough for Stiles but he’d been deluding himself. Stiles was a wolf, maybe not the same kind as the rest of them but he needed a pack. That much was clear even as his mind warred with the thought that the teen waiting for him was already his Beta.

“Even with the different nature of his wolf, he will still feel the weight of his connection to your pack. Your...Commands will still reach a part of him. You’ll no doubt be able to calm him as you were just a moment ago.”

Derek turned a glare onto the druid once more. “Were you going to tell me about this? If Stiles had come on his own, would you have told me?” Deaton didn’t answer and that was Derek’s breaking point. Derek growled as he stormed out of the doors, calling back as he did. “Stay away from my pack!”

Deaton smirked as the doors slammed closed behind the Alpha. Derek was more upset with himself than with him, Deaton already knew that. Warring with instincts to protect his new Beta despite the boy seemingly being human, one Derek had assumed was no longer his responsibility. Shaking his head the druid made to clean up the remnants of the night's events. 

***********

Stiles was tapping the steering wheel with his fingers anxiously, he sighed when Derek pulled the door open and slid into the seat.

“Thank god. Let's get the fuck out of here.” Stiles started the jeep only to have his hand stilled as he moved to shift the car in gear.

“Deaton-He said that your wolf form was something that you wanted.”

Stiles snorted. “Yeah, I got that much sourwolf.” 

Derek ignored the sass and the nickname. “That you're my Beta.” 

Stiles' head jerked around sharply, staring wide-eyed back at the Alpha. “What?” Derek nodded. 

“Because I was the Alpha who...Claimed your wolf.”

“So...What does that mean?”

Derek shrugged breaking it down to the simplest of terms. “We’re pack. I’ll be able to calm you down I suppose like I do my Betas. You’ll feel safe with me and the others, things like that.” He muttered with a frown when he realized that it didn’t sound like much. That he hadn’t explained what a pack really was all that well, but before he could try to expand on it Stiles was talking.

Stiles gave a nod, his brain soaking in what all of this meant. He was a part of Derek’s pack, Derek was his Alpha. He was a wolf. “Right...And so long as I’m a part of your pack my wolf is happy and I won’t have freaking dreams of a wolf dying?”

Derek nodded then frowned. “It was dying?”

Stiles rasped out a hollow. “Yeah.”

Derek scowled at the thought, a lone wolf dying without a pack, to Stiles it was just a bad dream but to someone like him. Someone who had lost their pack and truly knew what that was like, Derek knew how serious this was for Stiles’ wolf. There really was no going back.

“So I just suddenly become your Beta and you’re cool with that? What about the others? What about Scott? Oh dear god, I have to tell Scott!” Stiles fell froward letting his forehead hit the steering wheel.

Derek huffed at the teen’s priorities. “Yes, you’re a part of the pack...And yes, Scott needs to know because I’m not going to have him storming into the loft because he thinks I’m like Peter.” The Alpha growled.

Stiles snorted, tilting his head to the side so he could stare back at the enranged Alpha. “You’re nothing like Peter.” That declaration seemed to floor Derek given how the man’s eyes widened a hair. “And when we get right down to it, Scott’s the reason this happened at all.” The teen huffed. “Payback’s a bitch.” He laughed.

“Payback?”

Stiles sat back up and nodded. “Back when we went into the preserve, trespassing.” He smirked earning a glower. “Scott didn’t want to go, but I dragged him out there anyway and look how that turned out.”

“You didn’t cause Peter to bite him.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “No shit, that was the whole lotta crazy rolling around in Peter’s brain...But I took him out there.”

“That’s different than the book.”

“I had it in my room.” Stiles pointed out. “Scott played with it because it was there and because I wasn’t paying attention to him. It was harmless, right? A book, just like a trek in the woods was supposed to be harmless.”

Derek’s brows furrowed, it still didn’t feel the same but he couldn’t convince Stiles differently. “How’d you get the book?” It was a question that Deaton was dying to know, but that Derek truly didn’t think Stiles would tell him.

Stiles smirked. “eBay?” The Alpha glared at the chuckling teen. “Alright-Alright, it was Craigslist.”

Derek huffed. “Why bother saying lies wh-”

“Was I lying?” Stiles challenged with a smirk.

Derek paused, frowned, and then muttered sourly. “Say it again.”

Stiles grinned back at the wolf. “No.” He was growled at for that, but Stiles was totally okay with that after the night he’d just had. “So Sourwolf, how are we going to tackle the whole pack thing? And the whole Scott thing?”

Derek let the subject of the books origins go, he was sure that it would come up again, and then he’d get the chance to listen to the boy’s heartbeat. “Doesn’t matter what you tell Scott, he can’t change anything.”

“He can try,” Stiles muttered. “Which won’t do anyone any good.”

Derek disregarded that fact, it wasn’t up to him to try and make Scott listen let alone accept the reality that there was no changing what Stiles was. “It’s up to him whether or not he wishes to join the pack, but I’m not coddling him.”

Stiles smirked at Derek feeling the need to express something he already knew. “You don’t coddle anyone.”

“Exactly.”

Rolling his eyes at how proud the Alpha sounded while uttering that singular word, the teen retaliated. “Fine, whatever. What about me?”

That was something a bit more complicated, Derek knew Stiles was loyal to Scott, that he had never anticipated being anywhere than by his friend's side but things change. Stiles needed to be in a pack which meant he needed to be around Derek and the man’s Betas. “You need to spend time with us...Them at school or coming to the loft.”

“Alright? But like how often? Cause this is ju-”

“You start having dreams again...That’s how we’ll gauge things.”

Stiles smiled at how clinical Derek was making everything. “Sounds good to me.” At least in this manner, he could try to keep some semblance of normal rather than just all at once abandoning Scott as his best friend will no doubt fear. Stiles was uncertain on what Scott might choose to do when it came to Derek and the pack, lord knew he didn’t think Scott could listen to Derek without calling the man’s every word into question. Leftover resentment spewing from Peter but misplaced onto Derek. Shaking his head a bit to clear his thoughts, Stiles questioned. “So I don’t have to like formally join the pack or anything? I can just...Hang out when I need to?”

“Until your ready,” Derek added.

Stiles knew what that meant, but he was grateful that Derek wasn’t pushing him to just climb aboard the werewolf train. “Yeah.” Stiles looked out the front window towards the darkened clinic. “Sometimes I really hate his mystical voodoo shit.”

Derek snorted at the teen's eloquent statement even as he silently agreed because he was pretty sure the comment was solely directed at Deaton and not the supernatural world at large.

“I still blame Peter for this shit.”

Derek smirked as Stiles glanced back at him. “I’d be totally okay with you beating the ever-loving shit out of him. Ya know just on principle or letting me chew on his leg again once I figure out the whole wolf thing whic-.”

“Drive.”

Stiles smirked as Derek cut him off abruptly, he could tell it was because the man was too amused to hear out the rest of what he might have said when it came to maiming the Alpha’s uncle. The teen shifted the car in gear and began doing just that. “So can you Alpha order me around?”

“He said yes, but I don’t think it’ll be as strong as if you were a werewolf. You said you felt the pull of it.”

“I did...Like a live wire where you just get a little jolt down your spine?” Stiles mused aloud. “It’s not painful or anything but it's like that sudden urge to pay attention.” Then because it needed to be said, Stiles added. “ So do you think my dreams will go away if we keep up the whole pack thing?”

“I don’t know but that seems to be the theory, it's all we have to go off of.”

Stiles was silent a moment as he considered it all, Derek wasn’t wrong. As far as they all knew the dreams were directly connected to how his wolf felt when it came to the pack. Ergo if he’s around the pack his wolf should be happy, if he wasn’t around the pack enough his wolf would go on another vision quest to find one. Despite all of the struggles when he was faced with the uncertainty of the dreams, Stiles couldn’t help but utter. “Even though they made me tired as hell...They were nice dreams.” Stiles smirked as he drove, but as the journey back towards his house continued, another thought popped into his head prompting the teen to ask the resident werewolf. “Derek?”

“What?” The Alpha continued to stare out the window as the teen drove through town, the myriad of questions Stiles had was normal even if a bit irritating. Something that Derek would have to adjust too, just like he’d had to adjust to Erica’s flirting or Isaac’s constant need for approval. 

“When I do become a wolf...Do you think my eyes will still be wrong?”

“They weren’t wrong.” Derek defended at once, something deep inside him resenting the boy’s words. “They were just different.” Stile snorted. “Different can be beautiful...My mother said that.”

Stiles glanced towards him surprised that the wolf was sharing something of his family, of his mother. “When?”

“When my eyes turned blue,” Derek admitted as he continued to stare out the window.

“Different can be beautiful...I can live with that.” Stiles hummed to himself as he focused once more on the road. 

As Stiles pulled up into the driveway the pair preparing to part ways, Stiles shut off the jeep and turned to face the Alpha who was now staring back at him. “So I guess I’ll tell Scott and you’ll tell the others?” Derek nodded. “And then what?”

Derek frowned, that was a good question. “Give me your phone.”

Stiles blinked at the sudden order. “Um...Alright.” Stiles dug the device out of his pocket and handed it over, watching curiously as Derek typed something into it before handing it back. Stiles glanced down seeing the new contact having been added, smirking Stiles looked back up. “You gave me your number?”

Derek frowned at how amused the teen seemed. “All of the Beta’s have my number.”

Stiles smiled. “But I’m not your Beta...Not really.”

“You’re a wolf and a part of my pack, you’re my Beta.” Derek was resolute when he said as much.

Stiles gave a small nod, somehow pleased to hear Derek say as much. “So...Call you if something supernatural happens that I might get myself into trouble with?”

Derek glared. “Don’t get into things.”

“You realize that’s not really an option given where we live right? I mean, Scott turned me into a wolf just by reading a damn book. I was literally studying for my Chem exam when he did that.”

Derek sighed, letting out a gruff. “Stop being stupid.”

“Hey! I’m smart.”

“Scott isn’t.”

“Ouch...Rough man.” Stiles pouted on his best friend's behalf though it didn’t appear to faze Derek in the slightest.

“He read a book not knowing what it was even when it clearly wasn’t some dime store novel,” Derek growled.

Stiles couldn’t help but feel that shiver down his spine though he refused to say as much to Derek, choosing instead to mutter. “You got me there.”

Nodding Derek threw the door open and hopped out of the car, twisting to stare back at Stiles. “Stay out of trouble.”

Stiles smiled. “Yes, Alpha.” Derek glared in return to his taunt but got the last laugh when he flared his eyes and growled making Stiles jerk back in his seat. The man smirking before sauntering into the darkness. Stiles huffed, shouting out into the air knowing full well the wolf would hear him. “JERK!” Throwing his door open, Stiles sulked all the way up to the house before sending a cursory look around. There was no sign of Derek, nodding, Stiles went inside and lied through his teeth yet again to his father. 

Sighing in relief once he was safely ensconced into his room. Stiles threw his bag aside and threw his keys and phone onto the nightstand before falling face-first onto his bed, Stiles screamed into his pillow before panting. He turned his head to the side catching sight of his phone and muttered. “God, how do I do this? Hey, Scottie guess what? I’m a wolf and I’m part of Derek’s pack.” Stiles snorted, yeah he knew just how well that would go over. A chime sounded, his phone. Groaning at the prospect of actually dealing with his best friend, Stiles reached out and snagged the device flipping it over to stare at the message. A wry smirk came to his face before he snickered and quickly typed a reply.

Unknown:  _ Welcome to the pack. _

...

_ Who is this? _

Unknown:  _ Erica. _

_ So he told you already? _

Stiles quickly adjusted the ID, typing in Erica’s name or rather what he’d chosen to call her. 

Catwoman:  _ We were waiting at the loft. _

_ Why? _

Catwoman:  _ We knew something was up _ .

_ How? _

Catwoman:  _ You’ll figure it out, we all did. _

Well if that wasn’t just mysteriously annoying Stiles didn’t know what was. Huffing at the simple reply, the teen was quick to reply.

_ I’m not a werewolf, I probably won’t be like you guys _

Catwoman:  _ You hate Peter. _

_ Well yeah, everyone does. _

Catwoman:  _ Good enough for me. _

Stiles laughed at the girl's small requirements to fit into the pack.

_ If that’s all it took how come I wasn’t invited sooner? _

Catwoman:  _ You were...Scott’s just an idiot and said no to Derek. _

Alright, technically Erica wasn’t wrong there Scot had told Derek to pound sand but Stiles hadn’t really been included into that but whatever.

_ He’s not an idiot. _

Catwoman: _ He read a magic book that turned you into a wolf. _

Well, shit now she was just using his own argument against him. Not that she was probably aware of that fact.

Catwoman:  _ So? _

Sighing, Stiles was forced to reply.

_ Fine. He’s still my best friend. _

Catwoman:  _ And he’s still an idiot. When are you coming over? _

_ ...Um...I don’t know? _

Catwoman:  _ What do you mean you don’t know? Your a part of the pack, the pack comes to the loft. _

Okay, so Derek hadn’t really filled them in entirely.

_ I don’t really need to be there or at least we don’t think I need to be there as often. _

Catwoman:  _ You don’t want to be in the pack? _

_ I didn’t say that...It’s just a big adjustment alright? I-I thought I was human. _

Catwoman: _ I get it...You're coming this Friday. _

Stiles sputtered as the woman just decided what he’d be doing on his Friday night.

_ Um, okay? Why would I do that? _

Catwoman:  _ Movie night. _

Stiles smirked, that was so utterly domestic that he couldn’t help but ask.

_ And Derek participates in this? _

Catwoman:  _ Don’t let him know I said this, but we all know he secretly loves movie night no matter how much he bitches and moans about it. _

Stiles smiled brightly upon reading that, it was in such stark contrast to what he knew about Derek. There was a reason why he called the man Sourwolf, but finding out that he could be just a normal person, that he was just a normal person was somehow relieving. It was clear that the wolf cared about his pack, his Betas, but that didn’t mean he had to spend time with them but Stiles had always known they hung out at Derek’s place just not what they did. He’d figured it was all brutal training, who would have thought that it involved movie nights.

_ Friday it is. Should I bring something? _

Catwoman: _ It’s not a potluck Stiles...Bring some candy. _

Stiles rolled his eyes. “You just said it's not a potluck and yet here you are asking me for candy.” He chose not to point out the hypocritical statement, choosing to reply.

_ On it...See you Friday. _

Catwoman: _ See you tomorrow. _

Stiles blinked, blinked again, and then sighed. Right, school.

_ Scott doesn’t know yet...Please don’t say anything, I’m gonna tell him tomorrow night. _

Catwoman:  _ We’ll keep our distance, but you tell him tomorrow! _

_ What’s the hurry? _

Cause it was pretty clear that Erica was in a hurry to let everyone know that they were in the same pack despite no one other than Scott possibly knowing. Or maybe they just wanted to be able to hang out together? 

Catwoman:  _ We’re pack. _

Stiles sighed, well that wasn’t very helpful. The teen frowned as a banner appeared at the top of the text message, another incoming text. The teen quickly swapped over to the new unknown number.

Unknown: _ Stop making Erica frustrated, just accept it. _

_ Who? _

Unknown number:  _ Isaac. _

Stiles rolled his eyes, quickly changing the information for the contact.

_ She’s talking like you guys are going to ambush me tomorrow. _

Isaac:  _ Probably because she’s gonna _ .

_ Why?! _

Isaac:  _ Cause we’re pack. _

Stiles stared back at the simple reply, was this it? Was this just how the pack was? You were pack and therefore you belonged and were accepted, granted that’s what Stiles had always assumed a pack might be but he’d never anticipated being in one. Being accepted like this. If he was honest with himself it was a bit overwhelming when you considered all he’d been through earlier that night.

_ Is this how things always are? _

Isaac:  _ ??? _

_ You just...You’re just pack and that’s it? _

Isaac: _ Uh-Yeah, what else were you expecting? _

_ I don’t know...Just seems so fast. _

Isaac:  _ You weren’t a wolf before, I know its...Different, but it is pretty great. It’s a family. _

Stiles could see the appeal there for Isaac, truth be told it sounded amazing to him and he wasn’t alone. He had his dad, but having a group of people who understood the supernatural shit that they got up to and just accepted you to boot? Yeah, sounded pretty damn awesome and it also gave Stiles a bit more confidence in how this whole wolf thing might go.

_ It sounds pretty good to me too. I’ll see you Friday. _

Isaac:  _ Tomorrow _

Erica: _ TOMORROW! _

Stiles laughed at how much Erica was emphasizing school and their impromptu greeting tomorrow.

_ Tomorrow. _

************

When Stiles fell asleep that night and fell once more into the body of the wolf, it wasn’t with the same level of dread that he’d experienced so many times before since the wolf was alone. No, the wolf was running. He was still running, running through the preserve, and being followed. Chased. Playing with the other wolf, giving off great howls of joy once more. Tussling with one another, growling and nipping even as the sounds of other wolves echoed off in the distance, more wolves, more pack. Rolling in the underbrush together Stiles was pinned tongue hanging from his panting mouth with wide bright eyes full of life, the looming black wolf on top of him flared its eyes. A deep Alpha red. 


End file.
